Stage set for Glorious Goodwood

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Heavy rain has eased the going ahead of the five-day Glorious Goodwood meeting which starts on Tuesday.

After two inches of rain fell at the course on Sunday and Monday, the going was described as good to soft.

Tuesday's feature race, traditionally known as the Gordon Stakes and now run as the ABN Amro Stakes, sees five runners go to post.

Unfurled, who won the Predominate Stakes at Goodwood in May, and The Geezer are set to head the betting.

The Geezer was second to subsequent Epsom Derby winner Motivator in the Dante Stakes at York in May.

Meanwhile, the meeting's opening Group One race - the Cantor Sussex Stakes on Wednesday - will see five-year-old mare Soviet Song bid for a repeat succes, although Proclamation is a danger.

Other big races during the week include Thursday's Goodwood Cup, and the Stewards' Cup on Saturday.

GOODWOOD PREVIEWS Tue: Race by race Tue: Daily bulletin Wed: Sussex Stakes

Dry weather is expected at Goodwood on Tuesday, although showers are forecast for Wednesday.

Soviet Song is in fine form after an impressive victory in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket's July meeting.

Matthew Budden, racing manager for Soviet Song's owners, the Elite Racing Club, said: "Soviet Song won the Sussex and the Falmouth last year and we thought we'd go for both again as there is a nice interval between the two races."

Soviet Song is 5-4 favourite to pull off the double with Proclamation, who also won at Goodwood in May, at 3-1.

The meeting, which dates back two centuries, is a rival to Royal Ascot in terms of quality and fashion.

And ticket sales for the 2005 fixture are ahead of normal as southern racegoers switch their attentions from Ascot to Goodwood.

The Royal Ascot meeting in June was transferred to York for the first time while the Berkshire track undergoes a massive redevelopment.