Racing: Glorious Goodwood: View pleases the watchers: Eddery stares defeat in the face before triumphing in a record time in the midsummer milers' championship

FOR ONCE, the trial ground reports worked out yesterday. Distant View, whose name has been forwarded by the gallops watchers, milkmen and petrol pump attendants at Newmarket in recent weeks, demolished both a high class field and the track record in the Sussex Stakes.

This was a victory for perseverance because for much of the mile race there were eight animals travelling pleasingly and just one who was under pressure and palpably unlikely to succeed. And that horse was Distant View. 'He's always lazy, especially at the racecourse, and he doesn't get going until the second half of his races,' Pat Eddery, the winning jockey said. 'He was even flat out in his maiden. But at home when you pull him out he takes off. He wins his gallops by 10 lengths.'

All this acceleration was needed yesterday as two furlongs out there were four in front of the chestnut colt and none of them had reputations built on capitulation. Indeed, Luca Cumani, the trainer of Barathea, may have been visualising a shelf in the lounge of his house for the trophy. 'I really thought we had won it,' he later confirmed.

Cumani's optimism was in contrast to Eddery's thoughts as the jockey saw the vista in front of him. 'When Barathea first kicked I thought he'd got me, as he got two or three lengths on me very quickly,' he said. 'But he gave my horse something to run after and with every stride my horse wore him down.'

Further back, Grand Lodge, was found out by the absence of speed from his armoury and Mister Baileys, who led for much of the way, exhibited that his run in the Derby may have sapped him more than first had been thought. Bigstone, last year's winner for France, was back in eighth.

Distant View now has the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on his programme, according to trainer Henry Cecil, and may stay in training next year, though whether Eddery will be in the saddle in 1995 is open to debate. The colt's owner, Prince Khalid Abdullah, who was probably riding a finish on his sofa at home in Saudi Arabia as he watched the race on SIS, will not be retaining a jockey next year. The message yesterday from Grant Pritchard-Gordon, his racing manager, seemed to be that Eddery could ride as many of the Abdullah horses as he wanted next season as long as he didn't expect to be paid a salary for doing so.

The Irishman will certainly be keen to continue his association with Eltish, whose victory in the Champagne Stakes propelled him to the head of the 2,000 Guineas market. The colt's price of 16-1 may also have been influenced by reports that Cecil told Pritchard- Gordon in a stabledoor conversation that this was the best two- year-old in his yard.

Some of Eddery's workmates in the jockeys' room had a rough time yesterday. Riders being thrown on to the turf was to be expected when the jumps season starts at Bangor-on-Dee tomorrow, but there were three instances on Trundle Hill yesterday.

Michael Kinane and Wendyll Woods crashed in the Tote Gold Trophy when their mounts became trapped on the rail. The Irishman tumbled spectacularly, at one stage almost standing in the saddle like a lady at the circus, before gravity got a hold of him. Both men gave up their remaining rides but escaped with nothing more than bruising.

Jimmy Quinn appeared to be more seriously damaged when Haitham came down in the opener and he had to continue his journey, not to the winning post, but to hospital in Chichester. However, he was not badly injured, and may be fit to ride Jawaal, the favourite, in today's Golden Mile.

There will be no more days, however, for Haitham. After years in service and 30 races, the seven- year-old's life came to an end at the racecourse.

(Photograph omitted)