Goodwood winners target lucrative US races after Qatar-backed meeting
Scottish-trained American Affair and Dubai-owned Shayem won feature sprints at Goodwood, highlighting how European stables are leveraging international sponsorship and Gulf capital to target lucrative overseas prize money.
American Affair won the King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood on Friday, while Shayem denied strong favourite Talk Of New York in the HKJC World Pool Thoroughbred Stakes. The double-header of international sponsorship at the meeting underscored how European racing stables are increasingly looking beyond domestic borders to monetise their top-tier stock.
Sent off at 12-1, American Affair surged to victory for trainer Jim Goldie and jockey Paul Mulrennan. The Scottish sprinter had won the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2025 but missed the rest of that season through injury. He subsequently struggled when defending his Ascot title and ran poorly at York.
The win validated the patience of his co-owners at Barraston Racing, a small breeding operation. Wendy McGrandles of the syndicate noted that American Affair was initially broken in for eventing because they were unsure if he was large or fast enough for the track. "We always felt that he was as good as he was last year," McGrandles said.
That restored form now opens the door to a cross-border campaign aimed at maximising the horse's value. George Goldie, the trainer's son, outlined a path through the Nunthorpe Stakes before a likely run in the Flying Five at Ireland's Curragh. Mulrennan also kept the prospect of a trip across the Atlantic open, stating "possibly America would be nice."
In the HKJC World Pool Thoroughbred Stakes, Karl Burke’s Shayem delivered a tactical performance to beat the 2-5 favourite Talk Of New York by half a length. Burke noted that jockey Clifford Lee kept close tabs on the pacemaker, Catullus, allowing Shayem to seize the lead inside the final half-furlong.
Charlie Appleby, trainer of the beaten favourite, conceded that the front pair had capitalised on the pace. "You could say do we need to step up in trip? Possibly. But he has got to learn to settle a little bit as well," Appleby said.
For Shayem, the immediate future points directly toward the American market. Burke identified targeted races at Kentucky Downs and Colonial Downs in September. While not Grade One events, Burke described them as "very valuable races" for the horse's Dubai-based owner, Abdulrazaq Mohamdi, illustrating the continued pull of US prize money on European-trained runners.
