- Four-year-olds and upwards. One mile and four furlongs. First run 1979. (Note: elevated to Listed status 1985; became Listed limited handicap for older horses 1993; awarded Group Three status in 2008)
Staged up until 1989 as the Alycidon Glorious Stakes, in honour of the Goodwood Cup hero of 1949, the Glorious Stakes has been sponsored by Coutts since 2006.
The conditions of the race were changed in 1993 and it became a limited handicap (weights 8st 7lb to 9st 7lb with a rating band of 0–105) for older horses. It immediately attracted a double-figure field of runners for the first time. The rating band became 0–110 from 1994 and in 2008 the race was granted Group Three status.
The Mark Johnston-trained Darasim loved to race at Goodwood and won three times at the Festival meeting. After winning this race in 2002, he gained his biggest triumph in the Coutts Goodwood Cup of 2004. Mamool had already tasted Group One success prior to winning this race in 2006, while the 2007 winner Purple Moon went agonisingly close as runner-up in the 2007 Melbourne Cup and 2008 Hong Kong Vase. Alkaased (2004) stands out as the best winner of the Coutts Glorious Stakes, after going on to capture the Group One Grand Prix de Saint Cloud and the Japan Cup in 2005.
The 2008 winner Sixties Icon, successful in the St Leger two years previously, obviously had a liking for Goodwood as this was his third course victory.
Illustrious Blue is another horse who clearly appreciated Goodwood as the 2009 Coutts Glorious Stakes was his sixth success at the course. The locally-trained horse subsequently made it seven when winning the 2010 Artemis Goodwood Cup.
Redwood won well in 2010 and progressed to success in a Canadian Group One race.
Luca Cumani has trained six winners, including Purple Moon, Alkaased and last year’s scorer Drunken Sailor who prevailed in a three-way photo under Kieren Fallon. Willie Carson gained four successes in the saddle. \
It is a poor race for favourites, with only 12 of 33 being successful.
GUIDE TO GLORIOUS GOODWOOD 2012 – CLICK HERE
Allison is the Publisher of Eclipse Magazine. She loves going to the Races and is learning to bet (despite being officially the worst bettor in the History of the Universe), there’s a lot more to learn…