Sussex Stakes Tips: Trust In Charlie

Often the highlight of the entire week at Glorious Goodwood, the Sussex Stakes of 2024 looked all set to be a rematch of the main protagonists of the St James's Palace Stakes with a few older horses thrown in for good measure. Alas, Rosallion the winner at Royal Ascot is missing and so we are left with a field of just five. Billy Grimshaw has previewed the race with some content about all the quintet and makes the case for his idea of the winner...

I was bitterly disappointed to see Rosallion ruled out of this race just a few days out, but that's racing I suppose and at least the horse should be back to full fitness at some stage. I had been salivating at the prospect of a top form Rosallion clashing with a hopefully back to his best NOTABLE SPEECH on the Downs but in the absence of Richard Hannon's star, my choice is fairly simple. 

I think Notable Speech will in the fullness of time prove to be an above average Guineas winner and considering that Classic success was his turf debut, I'm happy to forgive him the no-show when favourite at Royal Ascot. Charlie Appleby reported they did thorough checks and nothing came to light post Ascot, which some may take as a negative but I am flipping it and seeing it as more of a plus. He simply blew out in my book and now back to looking 'a million dollars' is the horse to beat at Goodwood. I can't believe he is not favourite ahead of Henry Longfellow.

The Aidan O'Brien horse finished above Notable Speech at Ascot but he got a much better ride and was in a much better position. Of course, that could happen again with Ryan Moore incomparable in the saddle but William Buick is no mug and I trust he can get his mount involved and hopefully he will stalk the pacesetters before showing his Newmarket finishing kick to bag another Group One.

Outside of the big two in the market, Sonny Liston is the rank outsider of the field but I think he can give a good account of himself and they may well scoop more than just the fifth placed prize money for this enterprising entry. We can put a line through his Ascot run last time out in a Group 2 as the race was not run to suit and while his clear preference for a big field is a worry, you are getting compensated in his 25/1+ price.

Maljoom and Facteur Cheval are similarly priced with most firms in and around 7/1 or 8/1 and it is tough to split the pair. Both have run good races and bad in recent times but my slight preference would be for Maljoom to uphold the Queen Anne form and come home in front in the battle of this pair. Facteur Cheval will want rain and I'm not sure he'll get it quite in time, while first time blinkers are a positive for Maljoom who has come across as the sort to let his mind wander on the job on occasion over a mile.

He may well be better over further but I'd not be surprised if these two finished fourth and fifth with Sonny Liston sneaking past to grab the bronze medal, behind the two three year olds.