Qirat Shocks the Field at 150-1 in Stunning Sussex Stakes Upset at Goodwood
- Turf Diario
- Jul 31, 2025
- 3 min read
Intended Pacemaker for Favorite Field of Gold, Qirat Lands One of the Most Shocking Wins in Recent Memory
CHICHESTER, Inglaterra (Special for Turf Diario).- In one of the most dramatic upsets in recent European racing memory, Qirat, regarded as the second string for Juddmonte, shocked the field in Wednesday’s G1 Visit Qatar Sussex S. (1600m, turf) at Goodwood, returning a staggering 150-1. The victory came at the expense of stablemate and heavy favorite Field Of Gold (Kingman), who faded to finish fourth and was later reported to be sore in one of his forelegs.
Trained by Ralph Beckett and brilliantly handled by Richard Kingscote, the son of Showcasing raced up on the pace alongside designated frontrunner Serengeti (Wootton Bassett), before taking command in the straight and holding off all challengers. Rosallion (Blue Point) loomed largest but came up half a length short, while Aidan O’Brien’s promising Henri Matisse (Wootton Bassett) was another two lengths back in third. But it was Qirat—previously twice successful at Goodwood in 2024—who stole the headlines with a first top-level score and a performance for the ages.
“It was simple: the plan was to go 12 seconds a furlong—and that’s exactly what we did,” said Beckett. “They let him do his thing, and when he passed Serengeti, I knew they weren’t catching him. He looked magnificent in the paddock—honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look better.”
Beckett revealed that entering the chestnut in the Sussex had required some convincing. “I told Barry Mahon[Juddmonte's racing manager] I wanted to run him because his work had been outstanding. He said it didn’t make much sense… Fortunately, I pushed for it. This horse loves Goodwood—he’s a specialist here. The Royal Hunt Cup was my fault; I put a hood on him. I always suspected he had more to give.”
The trainer also paid tribute to Emulous (Dansili), Qirat’s dam and a former G1 winner herself. “She’s a machine. She gave us Bluestocking (Camelot), who won the Arc last year, and now this. It’s like having a cash machine.”
Kingscote, who is set to relocate to Hong Kong, added another major trophy to his resume following his G1 Commonwealth Cup win at Royal Ascot. “It’s a bit surreal—I didn’t expect this. I knew he ran well here, but to win... I thought Rosallion was going to get me, but my horse just kept finding. I love controlling the pace up front; today it worked perfectly.”
Despite the disappointment for Field Of Gold, Juddmonte still had cause for celebration. “Ralph told me in the paddock, ‘This horse is going to run big,’” Mahon said. “I was skeptical—but he was right. He’s a beautiful colt with a top-class pedigree. Bluestocking and Qirat are nearly full siblings, and Emulous won a Group 1. This is elite stuff.”
Richard Hannon was philosophical in defeat with Rosallion: “No frustration—just pride. What more does he have to do to win? Sean [Levey] gave him a perfect ride. He’s a great horse and his turn will come. Today, he beat the best 3-year-old in Europe and the French Guineas winner. His story is far from over.”
Aidan O’Brien was pleased with Henri Matisse: “We’re delighted. We’re still learning about him. He’s young, and he struggled a bit coming down the hill. Ryan [Moore] thinks he could stretch beyond a mile. We’ll see—he has a big future.”
John Gosden, trainer of Field Of Gold, offered a candid assessment: “Nothing went right. They let the front-runner dictate easy fractions and we paid for it. He never handled the Goodwood track. No excuses—it just wasn’t his day.”
In a race that turned the form book on its head, Qirat delivered an unforgettable moment for Beckett, Kingscote, and Juddmonte, reminding the racing world that in this game, no favorite is invincible—and no dream too far-fetched.
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