Gallant Paco overshadows Moore treble
Paco Boy stole the thunder of top jockey Ryan Moore as he swept to victory in the big race of the opening day of Glorious Goodwood, the Betfair Cup.
Ridden by Richard Hughes and trained by Richard Hannon, the 7-1 shot timed his run perfectly to pip Stimulation by a neck with Dunelight trailing in third.
It was a performance to take the headlines away from Moore, who added to his growing reputation with a hat-trick of wins.
Hughes was doubly delighted with the manner of Paco Boy’s win, especially as he was worried his mount would struggle with the firm ground.
“Going down I wasn’t happy with the ground and I said to the lads I wasn’t happy with him, but he’s some horse to do that today,” he said. “He just didn’t act in the French Guineas but today he relaxed lovely and picked up real good.”
Moore enjoyed success in the first race on 10-1 shot Gulf Express, before following that up with a convincing win on heavily-backed Conduit in the Gordon Stakes.
The hat-trick was later completed on Sanbuch, who won the Detica Summer Handicap at 13-2.
Richard Hills rode the other winner of the day, the 5-1 host Finjaan in the Betfair Molcomb Stakes, pipping Bonnie Charlie into second.
All eyes today will be on dual Guineas winner Henrythenavigator as he looks to continue Aidan O’Brien’s impressive list of Group One successes in the big race of the day, the Sussex Stakes.
The heavily-backed colt will be joined by stablemate Windsor Palace and Raven’s Pass, who ran him close in his last start at Royal Ascot. Other contenders include Peter Chapple-Hyam’s pair Tariq and Winker Watson.
