What’s next for Goodwood stars Scandinavia, Bow Echo and Diamond Necklace?

Glorious Goodwood once again provided a glimpse into the very best of the Flat season, with three standout performers adding their names to the roll of honour on the Sussex Downs.

Scandinavia dominated the staying division with victory in the Goodwood Cup, Bow Echo produced a brilliant display to land the Sussex Stakes, while Diamond Necklace continued her rise with success in the Nassau Stakes.

With the dust now settled on the meeting, attention turns to what comes next for three of the biggest stars of the summer. Their routes towards the end of the season could all look very different.

Scandinavia: Chasing staying greatness

Scandinavia looks increasingly likely to be crowned champion stayer this season, with his dominance over staying distances making him one of the most exciting horses in training.

The question now is whether Aidan O’Brien can guide him towards following in the footsteps of some of Ballydoyle’s greatest stayers.

Unlike the other Group 1 winners at Goodwood, Scandinavia’s immediate path appears relatively straightforward. O’Brien has already identified next month’s Irish St Leger as his next target.

After both of his Goodwood Cup victories, Kyprios went on to win the Irish St Leger, and Scandinavia is expected to head to the Curragh as a strong favourite to replicate that achievement.

Beyond that, the Long Distance Cup at British Champions Day looks the obvious final target of the season, although there is also the possibility of a trip to France for the Prix du Cadran in October.

Kyprios completed that Goodwood Cup, Irish St Leger and Prix du Cadran treble in 2024, and given Scandinavia’s impressive campaign so far, O’Brien may look to repeat the feat.

An unbeaten season now looks within reach, before attention potentially turns towards matching the achievements of Kyprios and Yeats by becoming a multiple Gold Cup winner for Ballydoyle in the years ahead.

Bow Echo: International ambitions after Sussex glory

Bow Echo delivered the moment of the meeting at Goodwood when he stormed to victory in the Sussex Stakes, completing a remarkable treble of the 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes.

That achievement saw him join Frankel as the only horses to land the prestigious mile treble, but his next challenge could come away from British shores.

Trainer George Boughey may now look to take Bow Echo overseas in an attempt to add another major international prize to his record.

A trip to France appears the most likely next step, although the timing of that move remains uncertain. The Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville is the next major European mile contest, but it takes place only a few weeks after his Goodwood success.

If connections decide to wait, the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp on September 6 could become the target, while Boughey has also confirmed that a challenge in America remains a possibility.

The Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland on October 31 could provide an ideal end-of-season objective, with the fast ground and turning track likely to suit his racing style.

A run in America would almost certainly rule out a return to Britain for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, which takes place just two weeks earlier.

Should Bow Echo head across the Atlantic, his Sussex Stakes victory could prove to be his final appearance on home soil, particularly with his future value as a stallion now a major consideration.

Diamond Necklace: Multiple options remain open

Of Goodwood’s three Group 1 winners, Diamond Necklace’s route for the remainder of the season is the most difficult to predict.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained filly strengthened her reputation with a determined Nassau Stakes success, but her future targets will depend on a number of factors.

“She has everything open to her,” O’Brien said following her Goodwood victory.

However, another Ballydoyle star could have a major influence on her campaign, with stablemate Constitution River set to shape Coolmore’s plans for the autumn.

“Constitution River is the boss. He’ll get all of the options,” O’Brien added.

With Constitution River expected to line up in the Juddmonte International at York this month, a clash between the two stable stars appears unlikely for now.

Diamond Necklace holds an entry in the Yorkshire Oaks at the Ebor meeting, while she is also engaged in the Matron Stakes, Irish Champion Stakes and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

If O’Brien decides to keep her competing against her own sex, a return to a mile for the Matron Stakes could be considered, before a possible trip to France for the Prix de l’Opéra on Arc day and a season finale in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

However, if Constitution River fails to deliver at York, or connections decide he is not an Arc contender, Diamond Necklace could instead step up to a mile and a half for the first time in the Prix Vermeille.

That could then open the door for a tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on October 4.

For now, Diamond Necklace’s autumn campaign remains unclear, with the picture likely to become clearer following the Juddmonte International and the Ebor meeting.

Ballydoyle’s plans will continue to evolve, but one thing is certain: the three stars who lit up Goodwood still have plenty more to offer before the Flat season reaches its conclusion.