Noble to Champion Walker’s Goodwood hopes

Royal Ascot hero Noble Champion is set to lead Ed Walker’s squad into battle at next week’s Qatar Goodwood Festival.

The Lambourn handler is enjoying an excellent season, highlighted by multiple Group-race victories thanks to the exploits of not only Noble Champion but also the likes of Almaqam – who is bound of this weekend’s York Stakes – Mgheera, Scenic and Ten Bob Tony.

Walker is preparing several high-class operators for various races on the Sussex Downs and is hopeful of adding to his hitherto meagre tally at the track’s feature meeting of the year.

Speaking at a Goodwood-organised press visit at his yard on Tuesday, the trainer said: “Numerically we are not flying along, it just seems that way as we received a lot of good publicity following a couple of high-profile winners.

“The last month or so has been a bit bread and butter and also frustrating as we’ve had a shed load of seconds and thirds in the last fortnight.

“In our number of winners we are a bit down on last year, so the truth is we are making headlines but not adding to our total – and to date I’ve only had one winner at the big Goodwood meeting.”

Noble Champion, a surprise but impressive winner of the Jersey at the Royal meeting last month, is one of two Walker-trained entries for the HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes on July 29, along with his John of Gaunt Stakes scorer Ten Bob Tony.

However, with both horses in the same ownership, they are unlikely to lock horns.

Of Noble Champion, Walker said: “He needs a good, even gallop like the one he got from Spy Chief in the Jersey, and that horse went on to run a solid race in the July Cup.

“My horse thumped Spy Chief at Ascot and we’re buzzing about him. He’s a very exciting horse.

“We also have Ten Bob Tony in the Lennox, but Noble Champion is more likely to go as he’s OK on the better ground and is in flying form.”

Scenic won the Group Three Bronte Cup at York on her penultimate start before pushing red-hot favourite Estrange all the way in Haydock’s Lancashire Oaks.

The five-year-old, who was purchased by the powerful Wathnan Racing team prior to her neck defeat on Merseyside, is also set to be part of Walker’s Goodwood-bound battalion.

He added: “Scenic ran a massive race in the Lancashire Oaks and is heading for the Lillie Langtry.

“She didn’t get the credit she deserved in a muddling race at Haydock and I’m happy to take on the winner again. I think she will run to a higher rating in the Yorkshire Oaks than at Goodwood.”

Other planned contenders for the trainer include Celandine, who ran a race full of promise on her return from 10 months off the track when third in York’s Summer Stakes recently, and the Coventry and July Stakes runner-up Do Or Do Not.

“Celandine and Balmoral Lady are both in the King George Stakes and at this point it looks more like Celandine will go there as she wants it (the ground) like a road. She has bags of speed, but just got hassled by Rage Of Bamby at York last time,” said Walker.

“The owner of Do Or Do Not is very keen to take him to the Vintage Stakes and that’s the plan as it looks like he’s crying out for seven furlongs.

“He’s bred to be a fun horse but he’s very good, and deserves to win one of these Group races.”