Qatar Goodwood Festival: Qatar Sussex Stakes and Qatar International Stakes deliver a day of champions

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, July 30, 2026

Bow Echo won the Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse, while RB Kingmaker claimed victory in the Qatar International Stakes for Arabian horses. These results highlight the Qatar Goodwood Festival’s role in showcasing top equine talent and reinforcing Qatar’s efforts to promote elite equestrian events globally.

The Qatar Goodwood Festival continued on Wednesday at Goodwood Racecourse with two headline races showcasing elite equine talent. The Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes (Group 1) brought together a competitive field of top milers, including emerging three-year-old contenders and established Group 1 winners. In a closely contested event, Bow Echo secured victory under jockey Billy Loughnane, trained by George Boughey. The trophy was presented by HE Saad bin Ali Al Kharji, Chairman of Qatar Tourism and Board of Directors of Visit Qatar, with global media personality Steve Harvey attending as Guest of Honour.

Meanwhile, the Qatar International Stakes featured a standout performance in the Arabian horse category. RB Kingmaker, ridden by Christophe Soumillon and trained by Mme J F Bernard, powered ahead to take first place in one of the season’s most anticipated Arabian races. The trophy presentation was led by H.E. Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Thani, Qatar’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Iceland. Eng. Abdulaziz Ali Al Mawlawi, CEO of Visit Qatar, was present as the race’s Guest of Honour.

The festival, presented by Visit Qatar, continues to build momentum with several major races remaining, including the Qatar Nassau Stakes and the King George Qatar Stakes. The event will conclude with the Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes. Through its exclusive naming and ownership rights, Visit Qatar highlights its commitment to promoting world-class equestrian sport and enhancing Qatar’s profile on the international tourism stage.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.