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The five fastest winners of the Stewards' Cup at Goodwood

There are few finer sights in sprint racing than the Stewards' Cup cavalry charge as equine speedsters converge on Goodwood to go shoulder to shoulder each summer.

With up to 30 runners, the stewards at Goodwood have plenty to do in keeping tabs on the race in their honour and with fast finishes coming in under one minute ten seconds they don't have much time to deliberate.
Planet Sport trains its binoculars on the Sussex Downs to chart the five fastest winners of the Goodwood Stewards' Cup.

5. Hoof It (2011 Time: 1.09.91)

One of the fastest horses to emerge out of the Yorkshire yard of Mick Easterby, Hoof It lived up to his name with a series of scintillating sprint wins.
Filling a monstrous frame by four, Hoof It had scooted up in a 20 runner Dash at York in preparation for 27 horse cavalry charge at Goodwood in 2011.
Hoof It had Group form so was good value for 13/2 joint favouritism with the James Fanshawe speedster Mac's Power but the sheer number of runners in the Stewards' Cup meant that anything could happen.
Master jockey Kieren Fallon used Hoof It's early speed to switch from the centre to the far rail and from a furlong out there was no other horse in it as Easterby's charge ran on to a two and half length win from Tax Free.
Anything under one minute 10 seconds is smart and Hoof It rattled home in a horseshoe warming 1.09.91.

4. Dancing Star (2016 - 1.09.81)

Being out in front in the Stewards' Cup is an imposing position with 20 odd runners behind you, but Dancing Star lived up the responsibility with an imposing win in 2016.
Andrew Balding's Aqlaam filly, raced on the far side over the six furlongs, like Hoof It, and hit the front with half a furlong to go.
David Probert would have been sweating with the best part of fifteen horses breathing down his neck on Dancing Star, but she showed extra to win by a solid one and a quarter lengths from Orion's Bow.
The time on a warm day at Goodwood was a quick 1.09.81 making Balding's charge the fourth fastest Stewards' Cup winner.

3. Khaadem (2019 - 1.09.79)

The Stewards' Cup is, of course, a hot betting heat and Khaadem was the recipient of a huge gamble going into the 2019 renewal.
Available at 8/1 on the morning of the race, Charles Hills' sprinter halved in value to 4/1 at the off at Goodwood.
In the same Shadwell colours of Battaash, Khaadem trod the well worn far side route of other winners under Jim Crowley as the David Griffiths trained Ornate went off like a rocket in front.
But Ornate was all noise and no finish as Khaadem stalked silently up the far rail, travelling smoothly to a two and three quarter length victory from Open Wide.
The winning distance suggested a fast time and when the clock stopped it was on an impressive 1.09.79 as the Shadwell Stud showed it had yet another ridiculously good sprinter on its hands.

2. For The Present (1994 - 1.09.58)

It's a 1990's blast from the past with For The Present who hoses into the second fastest spot in the Stewards' Cup.
With Goodwood going fast and firm in 1994, all was set for a swift renewal but the bookies didn't fancy For The Present's chances much, pricing the David Barron trained sprinter up at 16/1.
But Jimmy Fortune had other ideas, engaging For The Present in a thrilling three horse finish with Poker Chip and the 7/1 favourite Humbert's Landing.
The Andrew Balding trained Poker Chip had shown her hand too soon and Humbert's Landing couldn't strike a blow as For The Present held on by a short head.
The winning time of 1.09.58 took nearly half a second off the one minute 10 second mark, meaning For The Present's blistering performance lives long in the memory.

1. Gifted Master (2018 - 1.09.56)

Up and coming trainer Hugo Palmer has won a 2000 Guineas but rates Gifted Master's 2019 Stewards' Cup victory as up there with the best.
The Panama hats were out in full force as Goodwood baked in Summer sun and top weight Gifted Master was sent off a 20/1 outsider to take the six furlong dash.
However it wasn't the 9/2 favourite Foxtrot Lady sweeping to the front, in the final throes in the 2018 Stewards' Cup, but the 25/1 Irish raider Justanotherbottle, with Gifted Master half a length back with half a furlong to go.
But Gifted Master showed he had the bottle to keep up with Ger O'Neill's shock contender. Apprentice jockey Jason Watson rallied late and prevailed after a photo finish by the shortest of short heads.
The time of 1.09.56 presents the fastest time for the Stewards' Cup as Palmer continues to assert himself as a trainer to watch.

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