Molecomb Stakes

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The Molecomb Stakes is a Group 3 race for two-year-olds over five furlongs at Glorious Goodwood.  

The Molecomb Stakes takes place on the 31st of July 2024.

The brilliant Marwell won here in 1980 and other notable winners include other leading sprinters in Risky (1993), Kachy (2015) and Fleeting Spirit (2007).

Find out more about the Molecombe Stakes:

Molecomb Stakes

Race Overview – The Molecomb Stakes

The Molecomb Stakes is a flat horse race for two-year-olds held on day two of the Glorious Goodwood Festival.

The Markel Molecomb Stakes takes place on Wednesday 27th July 2024 at the Goodwood Racecourse.

The Group 3 flat race is run over a distance of 5-furlongs.

If you are looking to place any bets on the Markel Molecomb Stakes we strongly advise you to check out all the latest Glorious Goodwood Free Bets on offer in April 2024.

Check out our Markel Molecomb Stakes for the latest betting odds, tips and history of the famous race.

Molecomb Stakes Odds 2024

Here are the latest odds for the Molecomb Stakes in 2024:

  • There is no open book of odds in the ante-post market for this event yet

Molecomb Stakes Tips 2024

Here are some tips for Molecomb Stakes in 2024:

  • 2 points to win for TBC
  • 1 point each way for TBC

Some of the horses in the Molecomb Stakes will run in other events later in the year. Stay updated on the horses and place ante-post bets if you want to wager on them.

Take a look at our horse racing tips guide for Goodwood Racecourse.

Our intelligent tipsters for horse racing provide thriving racing tips for the events at Goodwood races!

Molecomb Stakes Previous Winners

Check out the previous winners of this race:

2013Brown SugarPat DobbsRichard Hannon Sr.
2014Cotai GloryGeorge BakerCharles Hills
2015KachyRichard KingscoteTom Dascombe
2016YaltaJames DoyleMark Johnston
2017Havana GreyP. J. McDonaldKarl Burke
2018Rumble InthejungleTom QueallyRichard Spencer
2019Liberty BeachJason HartJohn Quinn
2020Steel BullColin KeaneMichael O’Callaghan
2021ArmorRyan MooreRichard Hannon Jr.
2022TrilliumPat DobbsRichard Hannon Jr.
2023Big EvsJason HartMichael Appleby

Molecomb Stakes 2023 Result

Check out this result from the Goodwood Racecourse:

https://youtu.be/aiDlfeu11xY?si=ry5-aLNiEbrBx0aZ

Famous Molecomb Stakes Winners

The Molecomb Stakes, named after a house on the Goodwood Estate, was first run in 1829 with victory going to Convert.

The race was restricted to fillies between 1932 and 1981 before colts and geldings were once again allowed to compete.

The 1980 renewal was won by Sir Michael Stoute’s Marwell, ridden by Lester Piggott. She was a brilliant filly, winning ten of her thirteen career starts including the Cheveley Park Stakes (1980), King’s Stand Stakes (1981), July Cup (1981) and Prix de l’Abbaye (1981). She was also fourth in the 1000 Guineas before reverting successfully to sprinting. She was retired to the paddocks and her offspring included multiple Group 1 winning filly Marling and Irish National Stakes winner Caerwent.

1983 winner Precocious was trained by Henry Cecil and was retired to stud unbeaten as a two-year-old due to injury. He also won the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Gimcrack Stakes at York before injury intervened. The best of his progeny was dual King’s Stand Stakes winner Elbio.

The best winner of the Molecomb Stakes in modern times was Fleeting Spirit in 2007, trained by Jeremy Noseda and ridden by Johnny Murtagh. She was a daughter of Invincible Spirit and would go on to win the Flying Childers Stakes (2007), Temple Stakes (2008) and Group 1 July Cup (2009). She beat a truly International field which included Takeover Target and Scenic Blast from Australia and JJ the Jet Plane from South Africa. Fleeting Spirit did run around once she hit the front and had to survive a stewards’ enquiry. She was only beaten a neck by Total Gallery when attempting to follow up in the Prix de l’Abbaye.

Key Molecomb Stakes Trials

The most informative trial for the Molecomb Stakes in recent years has been the Dragon Stakes at Sandown Park. Three of the last twelve winners ran and won that race on their previous outing. Half of those recent winners had been successful last time out.

The last Molecomb Stakes winner to follow up successfully was Zebedee (2010) who won the Tattersalls Millions at Newmarket.

Havana Grey (2017) finished runner-up in the Prix Morny at Deauville next time while Liberty Beach (2019) filled the same spot in the Lowther Stakes at York.

Other targets include the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh and the Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster. Two winners of the Molecomb contested each of those contests without success, although Cotai Glory (2014) was very unlucky when unshipping his rider close home in the Flying Childers.

Favourites have a moderate record here in recent years.

Liberty Beach won in 2021 for John Quinn and Jason Hart to become the first winning favourite in the Molecomb since Zebedee in 2010. He was immediately followed by Steel Bull, the 2-1 market leader in 2020.

There have been six winning second favourites in the past twelve seasons.

The longest-priced winner during that period was 14-1 chance Bungle Inthejungle in 2012, trained by Mick Channon and ridden by Martin Harley.

Of those juveniles which had an official rating, Armor (2021) was rated lowest on 95.

Cotai Glory (2014) was the highest officially rated winner for Charles Hills and George Baker off a mark of 104.

Molecomb Stakes – Top Trainers and Jockeys

Richard Hannon Senior won this race four times, the best of them being the prolific winner Risky in 1993. He later won it with Monsieur Chevalier (2009), Zebedee (2010) and Brown Sugar (2013).

Richard Hannon Junior has kept up the tradition for speedy juveniles with recent victories for Armor (2021) and Trillium (2022).

The leading trainers of all time in the Molecomb Stakes are John Barham Day (1834-1852) and John Porter (1877-1895) who trained seven winners apiece.

The late Lester Piggott tops the all-time jockey standings in this race with eight victories. His successes came with Abelia (1957), Smooth (1966), Flying Legs (1968), Lady Rowley (1974), Hayloft (1975), Marwell (1980), Prowess Prince (1981) and Precocious (1983).

Pat Dobbs (2013 and 2022) is the only rider to have won the race more than once since 2010.

Betting on the Molecomb Stakes

The Molecomb Stakes always produces an exciting race with some of the fastest juveniles in training hurtling down the Goodwood sprint track.

Favourites have a modest recent record but it often pays to look just beyond the obvious with second favourites doing especially well.

A typically thrilling spectacle at the Glorious Goodwood Festival meeting in late July/early August.

Summary of Molecomb Stakes

With some amazing 2-year-old racehorses competing in the Markel Molecomb Stakes, the horse racing fans love to watch the race live on ITV Racing or Racing UK. It often produces a shock result but also a horse that goes on to prove themselves in their career.

The fiercely anticipated race is on the second day of the 5-day Glorious Goodwood Festival 2024.

Popular Questions

Where is the Molecomb Stakes held?

The Molecomb Stakes is held at Goodwood Racecourse.

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