THE GURKHA can avenge his Royal Ascot defeat by seeing off Galileo Gold in the Qatar Sussex Stakes, the feature event on day two of Glorious Goodwood.

Galileo Gold emerged a length and a quarter to the good in the St James's Palace Stakes last month, with the re-opposing Awtaad a further half a length back in third and a rematch here is a thoroughly intriguing prospect.

However, The Gurkha certainly had his excuses that day as Ryan Moore, pictured, had him settled well off the pace in the early stages that day and when he did feel the time was right to launch a run, he could not find a clear passage through.

The Gurkha was flying at the finish, though, and looked as if he would have claimed the honours, granted a clean run.

He has since been tried over 10 furlongs in the Eclipse and while he was beaten at odds-on, he only went down by half a length to Hawkbill on ground that maybe was not totally ideal for a step up in trip.

Quicker conditions await at Goodwood and while The Gurkha has won on testing ground, you cannot help but feel he won in spite of conditions rather than because of them.

No doubt this is a tight test to call, but Aidan O'Brien would surely not drop back to a mile against old rivals unless he felt his charge would have a fine chance of turning the form around.

O'Brien can also land the Group Three Beringice Gordon Stakes courtesy of Shogun.

The Fastnet Rock colt is perhaps not the most obvious choice here as he has not actually won a race in over a year now, but one must remember that he has been tried at the very highest level on more than one occasion.

Third in the Craven Stakes at the start of the year, Shogun then finished second in the Derrinstown Derby Trial and fifth in the Irish 1,000 Guineas.

Upped to a mile and a half at Epsom, he cut little ice in the Derby before briefly leading in the Irish version, only to get run out of it when the pace lifted.

Easy ground on both occasions was hardly ideal and while he is clearly not Group One calibre over 12 furlongs, he would not need to be to win here.

Quick ground is a huge plus for him and as a full brother to Oaks winner Qualify, the ability to develop into a Leger type may well be there.

Global Applause should relish a return to faster ground in the Victoria Racing Club Molecomb Stakes.

He disappointed when only fifth in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, but the soft ground that day would really not have played to his strengths.

Ed Dunlop's colt is much better judged on his previous National Stakes win at Sandown when he had subsequent July Stakes winner Mehmas well held over five furlongs.

Star Rider has had a couple of warm-up runs at the track ahead of her big day in the Matchbook Betting Exchange Goodwood Stakes.

Third on her reappearance over 12 furlongs, she filled the same position when upped to a mile and three-quarters last month.

She got outpaced in the finish that day and Hughie Morrison clearly thinks a big hike up in trip to two mile and five furlongs will be up her street.

The action really hots up on day three of the Galway Festival and Junction Fourteen can register a famous British success in the TheTote.com Galway Plate.

Emma Lavelle has had her sights set on the extended two-mile-six-furlong feature for a while now and judged on Junction Fourteen's Sandown success on the final day of last season, he should be in the mix.

The seven-year-old is at his best when the ground is riding quick, as he showed when seeing off Volnay De Thaix in a competitive heat on his most recent outing.

He races off a nice weight here and should be capable of putting up a bold show.

SELECTIONS

GOODWOOD: 2.00 Star Rider, 2.35 Shogun, 3.10 THE GURKHA (NAP), 3.45 Global Applause, 4.20 Perfect Angel, 4.55 Shaan, 5.25 Afjaan.

LEICESTER: 6.15 Muthmira, 6.50 Zabdi, 7.20 Brief Visit, 7.50 Midaawi, 8.20 Soaring Spirits, 8.50 Patanjali.

PERTH: 2.10 John Monash, 2.45 Mardale, 3.20 Nefyn Bay, 3.55 Realt Mor, 4.30 Bentons Lad, 5.05 Wyfield Rose, 5.40 Sorrow.

REDCAR: 1.50 Double Touch, 2.20 Wrapped, 2.55 Our Boy Jack, 3.30 Jan De Heem, 4.05 Planetaria, 4.40 Spirit Of Zebedee, 5.15 Run Rio Run, 5.50 Lucky Violet.

SANDOWN: 5.55 Ost Wind, 6.25 Van Huysen, 7.00 Max Zorin, 7.35 Sky Ship, 8.10 Kath's Legacy, 8.40 Blakeney Point.

DOUBLE: The Gurkha and Global Applause.