Kevin Ryan ready to unleash Glass Slippers in King George Qatar Stakes at Glorious Goodwood

The sprinter has not raced since her memorable victory in Kentucky last November for Hambleton trainer Kevin Ryan and jockey Tom Eaves.

Ryan has bided his time with the filly whose best form has previously come in the second half of the Flat season. However, today’s test will reveal if Glass Slippers has retained her speed and zest as the field is headed by Battaash who is seeking a fifth-successive victory in the contest.

Surprisingly beaten at Royal Ascot, this is the strongest field that the Charlie Hills-trained sprinter has faced to date on the Sussex Downs.

Tim Easterby saddles Art Power, John Quinn’s Liberty Beach and Keep Busy both feature while champion jockey Oisin Murphy nominated Dragon Symbol as his best ride of the week before Alcohol Free landed the feature Qatar Sussex Stakes on Wednesday.

Trained by Archie Watson, Dragon Symbol was first past the post in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot before being demoted for causing interference.

She was then second in the July Cup at Newmarket and Murphy has said that it is only a matter of time before she lands a big sprint.

Meanwhile, Mark Johnston broke his ‘Goodwood duck’ for the week when Qaader relished the step up in trip to take out the Unibet ‘15 To Go’ Kincsem Handicap.

The victory provided the Middleham trainer with some consolation after smart stayer Sir Ron Priestley suffered a career-ending suspensory injury in the closing stages of the Goodwood Cup on Tuesday.

“We are devastated about Sir Ron Priestley who first suffered a suspensory injury in 2019,” confirmed Johnston whose Ascot Gold cup winner Subjectivist is also on the injury sidelines.

“This one has damaged the other branch of the suspensory which is a lot more serious.”

Elsewhere, Kieran Shoemark, a jockey who has been very open about his past addiction with alcohol and cocaine, rode his first Group One winner when the ever popular Lady Bowthorpe won yesterday’s feature Nassau Stakes for trainer William Jarvis and showbiz agent Emma Banks.