Racing: Lochsong aims to dispel doubts: Glorious Goodwood: The sprint queen will ensure one of the calendar's most captivating festivals gets off to a flyer

GOODWOOD this week should provide compelling racing as one of Britain's most picturesque courses has attracted the nation's two most charismatic racechorses.

Whatever Lochsong and Mister Baileys do, they do with conviction, and, in terms of glory in self-destruction, they are a duo to match Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid popping over the cantina wall to take on the whole of the Bolivian army.

Lochsong's version of the pretty girl in the schoolground, avoiding the posse of boys, came to a halt at Newmarket earlier this month when she was swallowed up (and spat out) by a high-class field in the July Stakes.

No matter, the modus operandi will be the same as she bolts down the side of Trundle Hill from the front this afternoon, back over five furlongs and back in the care of Lanfranco Dettori.

Some believe the toll of exploding at the beginning of 23 races may now be telling on the mare, and, despite the fact she is facing little more than top handicappers in this afternoon's King George Stakes, William Hill do not offer her at odds on. Her quote of even money suggests that in terms of severity today's assignment lies midway between the July Cup and her previous victories in the Temple Stakes at Sandown and Royal Ascot's King's Stand Stakes.

Also today, in the Gordon Stakes, Broadway Flyer attempts to regain his standing. Supporters of this colt had to go for a long lie down after he finished 21st when second favourite for the Derby, but then so too did the horse as he had been taken by illness.

Among his rivals now are Khamaseen and Party Season, who finished ahead at Epsom, Alriffa, who was fourth in the Irish Derby, and Spot Prize, fourth in the Oaks to the season's best three-year-old, Balanchine.

Broadway Flyer also has to engage Suplizi, who looked destined for good places when he finished like a bullet in Newmarket's Craven Stakes, which may seem from a different era but was in fact less than four months ago.

Luca Cumani's colt produced a drab display in the 2,000 Guineas, however, in which the performance in neon came from Mister Baileys. Mark Johnston's colt was, arguably, even more impressive in the Derby, when he sped away from his field until the rubber band of stamina deficiency snapped him back.

Mister Baileys has since been sold to stand at the National Stud at the end of his racing days, and there will be considerable interest from breeders when he tackles the Sussex Stakes tomorrow.

The word from Middleham is that the handsome colt is in the shape of his life, better conditioned even than he was before his Classic success. At Doncaster last Wednesday, Mister Baileys leant on a gatepost and gave his galloping companion, Arak, 10 lengths start before beating him by a similar distance over Town Moor's straight mile. Arak then showed this was no skipping contest by winning easily at Newcastle on Saturday.

The tales of well-being for the Sussex Stakes are as concerted as when a minibus leaves the health farm. Bigstone, last year's winner, is also going well, and Henry Cecil's Distant View is said to be an improved athlete.

And of course, there is the consistent condition check from Clive Brittain, Newmarket's most optimistic of trainers, who reports Sayyedati back to her brilliant best after two runs in Japan earlier this year. He would say that, wouldn't he?

(Photograph omitted)