BBC SPORT | Other Sports | Horse Racing | Glorious Goodwood 2002

Glorious Goodwood is one of the premier Flat racing meetings of the season with a host of prestigious events. BBC Sport Online offers a rundown of the most important.

Gerrard Investment Management Richmond Stakes

Sussex Stakes

Molecomb Stakes

JP Morgan Private Bank Goodwood Cup

William Hill Mile

Vodafone Nassau Stakes

Vodafone Stewards' Cup

Full Goodwood timetable

What is a Group race?

Gerrard Investment Management Richmond Stakes
(Six furlongs) Tuesday 30 July
This Group Two race for two-year-old colts and geldings is being run on the first day of the meeting this year - it used to be run on the third day.

The contest, which was first run in 1877, is named after the 6th Duke of Richmond.

2001: Mister Cosmi (Mark Johnston) Kevin Darley 7-1

The Sussex Stakes
(One mile) Wednesday 31 July
The Sussex is the feature race of the meeting and one of the two Group One contests of the five-day festival.

The race pits three-year-olds against older horses and boasts some of Flat racing's top names on its roll of honour, including Petite Etoile, Brigadier Gerard and Giant's Causeway.

Brigadier Gerard was the last horse to complete the 2,000 Guineas-Sussex Stakes double in the same season while 1982 winner On The House was the third and last filly to do the 1,000 Guineas-Sussex double.

The Sussex, which has a prize pot of �265,000, was first run back in 1841, although it was another 50 years before it came to be regarded as the blue riband event of the meeting.

Last year's winner Noverre finished the season as the top-rated three-year-old miler in the International Classifications.

2001: Noverre (Saeed Bin Suroor) Frankie Dettori 9-2

Molecomb Stakes
(Five furlongs) Thursday 1 August
This five-furlong Group Three race for two-year-olds is named after a part of the Goodwood estate.

One of the older races on the Glorious Goodwood card, it was restricted to fillies until 1981, when it was opened up to colts as well.

2001: Whitbarrow (Rod Millman) B Marcus 10-1

JP Morgan Private Bank Goodwood Cup
(Two miles) Thursday 1 August
This Group Two race is the longest Pattern race of the meeting although it was originally a three-mile race.

The race is one of the oldest principal events in the Flat racing calendar, having first been run in 1812.

Last year, punters' favourite Persian Punch was triumphant with his old rival Royal Rebel victorious the year before.

And Royal Rebel's trainer Mark Johnston is perhaps the man to follow in this race, having won three of the last five renewals.

2001: Persian Punch (Richard Quinn) David Elsworth 6-1

William Hill Mile
(One mile) Friday 2 August
The William Hill Mile, for three-year-olds and upwards, was inaugurated for the first time in 1987 and has established itself as one of the top handicaps of the season.

Moscow Mist won in 1996 at odds of 66-1, the highest priced winner in a race which is yet to be won by the favourite.

2001: Riberac (Mark Johnston) Kevin Darley 12-1

Vodafone Nassau Stakes
(One mile two furlongs) Saturday 3 August
The race was upgraded to Group One status in 1999 to make it the second of the two top class races of the meeting.

The Nassau Stakes, which offers �135,000 in prize money, gets its name from the friendship between the 5th Duke of Richmond and the Dutch Royal family, the House of Orange and Nassau.

Although open to older horses, only three over the age of three have won in the last 26 years.

2001: Lailani (Ed Dunlop) Frankie Dettori 5-4f

Vodafone Stewards' Cup
(Six furlongs) Saturday 3 August
This sprint handicap was first run in 1840, its name coming from the fact that the trophy was donated by the Goodwood stewards.

Always a popular betting race, in 1998 the race saw the debut of the Trifecta, the Tote's flagship bet requiring punters to select the first three horses past the post.

That is much more difficult than it sounds, especially in this race, where large fields turn the race into a cavalry charge - and a commentator's nightmare.

2001: Guinea Hunter (Tim Easterby) Jamie Spencer 33-1