Glorious Goodwood

Norfolk Stakes

The North Yorkshire handler revealed this morning: “The Betfair Molecomb Stakes is on the agenda at the moment for Excel Bolt. He is absolutely fine and in great form - I am happy with him since Ascot. He has had a little break, looks well and I couldn’t be more pleased with him.

“He is fit as a flea and is not a horse that needs a lot of work so he wouldn’t need another run before then. He has had his rest so we will start him again pretty soon and bring him back quietly.

“Goodwood is a unique track that you don’t know for certain if a horse will enjoy until they run on it. I have gone there with horses I thought would handle it and they haven’t, so while I don’t think it will inconvenience Excel Bolt, no one will know until he runs there.

“He is by Exceed And Excel so you would think he would prefer quicker surfaces up to a point but he also seems to be staying on in his races, so I don’t think it would worry him if the ground came on the easy side - he is a good moving horse.

“He has Black Type by his name after his Royal Ascot third but if he could win a Group race, that would be fantastic.”

Zebedee, comfortably held in fifth when three quarters of a length behind Excel Bolt in the Norfolk Stakes, could reoppose in the Betfair Molecomb Stakes.

The Invincible Spirit colt had won his previous two starts in lesser company at Windsor and Ascot in April for trainer Richard Hannon, who has a wealth of two-year-old talent in his yard.