May 27 / 13.30 Goodwood

13.30

Good

William Hill Festival Stakes (Listed Race)

  • Prize money: £34026
  • 1m 1f 197y
  • Class 1
  • 7 runners
ITV4
View Course
William Hill Festival Stakes (Listed Race)

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly sunny

OUR TIP

5/1 (Won)

  • Win: £5.00
  • Place: £1.70

Form: 621-11

Last run: 21 days

W: 9st 3lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 107

Form & Verdict
Lightly raced after making successful 2yo debut in August 2021, but has been in fine form in handicaps since returning from nine months off last October, including a battling success in a warm contest at Newmarket (1m1f, good to soft) three weeks ago; well worth a go at this level and respected if handling the likely quicker conditions (unraced on faster than good).
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

2

(4)

29th Jun 2024

Good To Firm

1m 4f 0y

Class 1

14:50 Newmarket (July)

King Of Conquest

9st 5lb

J: William Buick

T: Charlie Appleby

towards rear, switched left over 4f out, nudged along and headway over 3f out

11/8

1st

3

(4)

9th Jun 2024

Good

1m 3f 218y

Class 1

17:05 Goodwood

King Of Conquest

9st 3lb

J: William Buick

T: Charlie Appleby

1m2f Listed race here (good to firm) last May was the last leg in a four-timer; no joy in his seven races since but he was pipped in Group 3 at Newbury (1m4f, good) on latest, form which gives him a big chance.

6/4

2nd

5

(9)

18th May 2024

Good

1m 4f 0y

Class 1

13:50 Newbury

King Of Conquest

9st 2lb

J: William Buick

T: Charlie Appleby

Won a 1m2f Goodwood Listed (good to firm) last May and also placed in 1m4f Newmarket Group 3 (heavy) on final 4-y-o start; below that level in his two outings this year, though he suffered interference when 7l fifth of sixth in the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket (1m4f) latest.

8/1

5/4

  • Place: £1.20

Form: 111- D

Last run: 308 days

W: 9st 3lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
3-3 last year, starting with Wood Ditton on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket (1m, good), then a Sandown novice (1m2f, good to firm) and finally an emphatic success in four-runner 0-100 handicap on July Course (1m2f, good to firm); this is tougher after ten months off, but he retains any amount of potential and has nothing to prove if the ground continues to quicken up.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12th

9

(5)

20th Jun 2023

Good

1m 1f 212y

Class 1

17:35 Ascot

Francesco Clemente

9st 5lb

J: Robert Havlin

T: John & Thady Gosden

Unbeaten in three starts as 3yo, producing a smart performance when 9l winner on 1m2f Newmarket handicap debut last July; not seen again until finishing a very promising neck second to King Of Conquest in a Goodwood Listed race (1m2f, good to firm) 24 days ago, not helping his cause by hanging left on the bend; lacks experience but surely has a bigger performance in him and he's weighted to turn the tables on King Of Conquest; has raced only on good/good to firm; cheekpieces are reached for.

9/2

2nd

3

(5)

27th May 2023

Good

1m 1f 197y

Class 1

13:30 Goodwood

Francesco Clemente

9st 3lb

J: Robert Havlin

T: John & Thady Gosden

dwelt start, in rear, hung left and raced wide 5f out

5/4

3

(5)

7th May 2023

Good

1m 2f 0y

Class 1

13:15 Newmarket

Francesco Clemente

9st 2lb

J: Frankie Dettori

T: John & Thady Gosden

Has raced only on good/faster; impressively defied top weight in Class 2 handicap on the July course here (1m2f) when last seen, taking record to 3-3; debut win came in the Wood Ditton on this track; looks a potential Group performer; interesting contender.

11/2

Form: 1317-3 D

Last run: 56 days

W: 9st 3lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 107

Form & Verdict
3-6 last year including an impressive success in 0-105 handicap at York's Ebor meeting (1m2f, good to firm); gave impression he would have finished much closer with clear run when third of seven on his return in a Listed contest at Kempton (1m2f, AW) last month and can't be easily dismissed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

8

(5)

20th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

1m 3f 211y

Class 1

15:05 Ascot

Phantom Flight

9st 3lb

J: Billy Loughnane

T: George Scott

Enhanced his good strike-rate in Bahrain with Group 3 success in April; weakened into last of six (well below par) at Newbury since and it's nearly two years since he last prevailed on home soil; doubts are cemented by this difficult assignment back up in grade.

66/1

6th

2

(6)

18th Apr 2026

Good

1m 4f 0y

Class 1

14:35 Newbury

Phantom Flight

9st 5lb

J: William Buick

T: George Scott

Four Listed wins before he added a 1m4f Group 3 success in Bahrain 15 days ago; stacks of smart form in his lengthy career and none of it better than that latest start, but a bit extra will be needed to win this.

9/1

4/1

Form: /25-28 D

Last run: 63 days

W: 9st 3lb

5 yo Colt

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Raced twice in Group 1 company at Meydan (1m1f, good) in March, going down by a neck on the first occasion but only managing a midfield finish behind Lord North in the Dubai Turf; has been successful in domestic Listed company and twice runner-up at Group level; every chance on these terms, but fast conditions would pose a question (unraced on ground firmer than good).
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

(3)

26th Aug 2023

Good To Firm

1m 0f 177y

Class 1

13:50 York

El Drama

9st 7lb

J: Clifford Lee

T: K R Burke

Below par in a couple of Listed races at the start of the summer but back on track at the first time of asking for new trainer Karl Burke when going down by only a neck in a Haydock Group 3 (extended 1m2f, good to soft) a fortnight ago, collared in the final strides after travelling strongly and quickening to the front inside the final furlong; this shorter trip looks a help if anything (peak RPR achieved over 1m1f) and he looks the chief threat to Nostrum.

3/1

2nd

3

(3)

12th Aug 2023

Good To Soft

1m 2f 100y

Class 1

15:00 Haydock

El Drama

9st 7lb

J: Clifford Lee

T: K R Burke

took keen hold, prominent, led over 1f out, headed towards finish

12/1

4th

3

(4)

16th Jun 2023

Good To Firm

0m 7f 192y

Class 1

15:35 York

El Drama

9st 9lb

J: Jack Mitchell

T: Roger Varian

raced in second, pushed along and challenging 2f out, ridden and weakened final furlong

11/8

Form: 42547- D

Last run: 178 days

W: 9st 3lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 104

Form & Verdict
Won first two novices over 1m/1m2f; good fourth in Group 3 Gordon Stakes here (1m4f, good to firm) and runner-up in Listed race at Deauville (1m2f, good to soft) last summer, but didn't really build on that in three starts in the autumn; returns from six months off with something to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

2

(4)

19th Aug 2023

Good

1m 5f 61y

Class 1

13:50 Newbury

Jack Darcy

9st 7lb

J: Neil Callan

T: Paul & Oliver Cole

0-8 since his novice wins but second of seven in Group 3 at Goodwood (1m4f, good to soft) two weeks ago was his best form, dictating the pace and keeping on stoutly; this extra 1f looks manageable but he needs better still to win this.

8/1

2nd

5

(2)

4th Aug 2023

Heavy

1m 3f 218y

Class 1

16:10 Goodwood

Jack Darcy

9st 3lb

J: Neil Callan

T: Paul & Oliver Cole

Not disgraced in Ascot handicap (1m4f, good to soft) last month despite failing to settle; 0-7 since his novice wins but has useful C&D form, having finished fourth in the Gordon Stakes at this meeting last year.

20/1

5th

1

(10)

15th Jul 2023

Good To Firm

1m 3f 211y

Class 2

16:05 Ascot

Jack Darcy

10st 2lb

J: Hector Crouch

T: Paul & Oliver Cole

took keen hold, held up in midfield, dropped to rear after 2f, ridden over 2f out, headway over 1f out, kept on

14/1

Form: 31322- D

Last run: 195 days

W: 9st 3lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
3-7 when trained in France, including a Listed win at Compiegne (1m2f, good to soft; first-time blinkers) last summer, and also finished third of nine in a Group 3 at Longchamp (1m2f, good to soft; in cheekpieces) in September; makes his stable debut (same owners) after 195 days off minus any headgear; interesting to see what the market says (unraced on ground faster than good).
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

3

(5)

11th Jul 2026

Good To Firm

1m 5f 188y

Class 1

16:55 York

Epic Poet

9st 0lb

J: Daniel Tudhope

T: David O’Meara

7yo who is 0-12 since winning at Meydan in January 2025; has run really well in plenty of Group races in the interim, including the last two runnings of the Yorkshire Cup over C&D, but he ran a stinker in C&D Listed event four weeks ago; bang there if he bounces straight back.

6/1

6th

2

(1)

13th Jun 2026

Good

1m 5f 188y

Class 1

15:00 York

Epic Poet

9st 2lb

J: Ryan Moore

T: David O’Meara

0-11 since winning at Meydan last January but he has run really well in Group races in the interim, including the last two runnings of the Yorkshire Cup over C&D; drops into a Listed race today and could be bang there.

7/2

4th

5

(3)

28th May 2026

Good

2m 0f 50y

Class 1

18:12 Sandown

Epic Poet

9st 4lb

J: Daniel Tudhope

T: David O’Meara

Beaten in Group races on his last ten starts but went close in the Yorkshire Cup at York (1m6f, good to firm) last May and he was a good third in that same Group 2 a fortnight ago (good); he should be fine back up in trip and might not be far away.

7/1

Form: 330-65 C

Last run: 22 days

W: 9st 3lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 107

Form & Verdict
Useful form as a 2yo and his best performance so far was when third of nine behind Native Trail in last season's Irish 2,000 Guineas (1m, good to yielding); hasn't matched that form in three outings since, though, failing to beat a rival in either start since returning last month; needs a resurgence and still has stamina to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

11

(8)

26th May 2026

Standard

1m 0f 0y

17:07 Dundalk (AW)

Imperial Fighter

9st 1lb

J: Luke McAteer

T: Patrick J McKenna

Well exposed but won on Tapeta at Wolverhampton last year; second to a subsequent improver over C&D in January; poor form since.

33/1

8th

3

(6)

23rd Apr 2026

Standard

1m 0f 0y

18:45 Dundalk (AW)

Imperial Fighter

9st 12lb

J: Patrick McGettigan

T: Patrick J McKenna

Two minor wins on Flat in Britain; failed to build on C&D second in January; best of six subsequent runs when fourth in C&D claimer; well beaten here (7f) on latest; new headgear is tried now.

25/1

9th

4

(13)

10th Apr 2026

Standard

0m 7f 0y

18:50 Dundalk (AW)

Imperial Fighter

10st 0lb

J: Jack Kearney

T: Patrick J McKenna

Two minor wins on the Flat in Britain; failed to build on a second placing over 1m here in January; best of four subsequent runs when fourth in a claimer; down the field over hurdles last time.

12/1

Non-runners

Epic Poet, Imperial Fighter

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £8.10
Straight Forecast £7.98
Trifecta £24.50

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Francesco Clemente

TOPSPEED:

Phantom Flight

POSTDATA:

El Drama

The Sun:

King Of Conquest

RP RATINGS:

Francesco Clemente

NEWMARKET:

Francesco Clemente

The Times:

Francesco Clemente

Telegraph:

Francesco Clemente

The Guardian:

Francesco Clemente

Daily Mail:

Francesco Clemente

Daily Mirror:

Francesco Clemente

The Star:

Francesco Clemente

D Express:

Phantom Flight

Daily Record:

El Drama