Fire Fighting too hot for Goodwood king Mark Johnston

A round-up of the rest of the action from the opening day of Glorious Goodwood, as Fire Fighting took top honours.

Mark Johnston made the perfect start to this year's Qatar Goodwood Festival after Fire Fighting swooped late to give him a sixth success in the Matchbook Betting Exchange Stakes.

One of four runners representing the Middleham trainer in the mile-and-a-quarter handicap the 8/1 co-favourite gained a first win of the season - and first on turf since winning last year's Zetland Gold Cup - after being lifted home by Adam Kirby.

Approaching the final quarter of a mile it looked as though Johnston's best chance lay with the prominently-ridden Stars Of The Sea with the five-year-old appearing to be full of running.

But although keeping on he could not quite match the finishing kick off his stablemate, who moved on around a furlong from home before holding off the late challenge of Oasis Fantasy by a neck.

Johnston said, tongue in cheek: "This horse is a bit special - we wanted him so much we took him to the sales and couldn't sell him. Thank goodness, because of what he has done since - it's wonderful.`

"I think there are a lot of horses out there that could be like this. You have to wonder whether is he tough and that what makes him able to race a lot or is it the fact that he races a lot makes him tough.

"We gave him a couple of months off in the winter and his first run back was the first time that he has ever come back lame from a race. You have to remember that time off doesn't always do them good.

"He's obviously quite a character in his races and things have to go right for him. Adam has found a bit of the key to him and I think he rides the horse with a lot of confidence. He had this reputation of needing to be covered up and hitting the front late and Adam has torn that book up. He hit the front quite a long way out here and showed no sign of stopping.

"I was delighted with Stars Over The Sea. I was confident that he would run a good race but he gets a bit edgy and wears earplugs to the start. He is a very strong horse and Franny [Norton] said he was just doing a little bit too much.

"It's a great credit to him that he keeps on despite that - he would probably be better on his own and allowed to settle a bit, which he didn't get today. Even so, he stayed on all the way to the line."

Elidor joined the list of horses to have triumphed at both Royal Ascot and the Qatar Goodwood Festival after emerging on top in the Better Odds With Matchbook Summer Stakes.

Dropped back into handicap company for the first time since finishing fifth in the same race 12 months ago the battle-hardened six-year-old showed he still has plenty of life left in him when grinding out victory in the mile-and-three-quarter prize.

Despite being burdened with top weight the 16/1 shot responded to every call of champion jockey Silvestre de Sousa to hold off the fast-finishing Qewy.

The winner, who landed the 2013 running of the King George V Stakes at the Royal meeting, was cut from 20/1 into 16/1 for next month's Ebor.

A delighted Mick Channon said: "He keeps turning up and bless him he ran a blinder at Chester (third to Dartmouth in Ormonde Stakes). He probably bounced after that. The ground went a bit loose at York and we probably ran him a bit too quick.

"He has always had a bit of class and I'm delighted for the owners. It is nice when they win at Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood.

"He is tough and is just a very good handicapper. Really the Ebor was the target, but I couldn't wait as he had the ground here. We will still go there as I'm greedy

"He is like part of the furniture and he deserved another big win. He is just a smashing horse to have around."

There was bad news for James McDonald, the rider of Qewy, who was stung with an 11 day ban and fined £250 for using his whip above the permitted level without giving his mount time to respond. McDonald's suspension covers August 9-19. 

Boom The Groom ended a lean spell on turf stretching back three years when coming with a late flourish to land the Weatherbys Private Bank Stakes.

Although chalking up four wins on the all-weather, the five-year-old had been without a victory on grass since making a winning debut at Fairyhouse in July 2013 when trained by David Marnane.

Getting a good tow into the five-furlong event, which was delayed after David Probert parted company with the Ron Harris-trained Union Rose at the start, the 13/2 winner burst through late on to defeat well-supported favourite Thesme by half a length.

Victory for the Tony Carroll-trained gelding, who finished fourth 12 months ago, completed a double on the day for Kirby.

Carroll said: "He has been running well in very competitive races. In this company he is best at five furlongs. He ran very well in the Epsom Dash. He was drawn on the wrong side and got edged across the track. He is a lovely little horse and is a pleasure to train. He is never any trouble.

"The Conrad Allen horse (Hey Chewed) took us along nicely into the race. He was always going to win one. He would have been unlucky if he had gone through the year and not won one."

Ralph Beckett can now begin to plot a path in black-type races with Desert Haze (13/2) after she made it win number three for the campaign in the Smarter Bets With Matchbook Betting Exchange Fillies' Stakes.

Having seen her hat-trick attempt halted at Ascot last time out the three-year-old, who had previously posted wins at Carlisle and Sandown, regained the winning thread in the mile affair when proving a length too strong for the returning Haggle.

Beckett, who also saddled Pure Art in the race, said: "It is a lovely way to end the day. Anybody who asked if I would win the last I said I hope so, but I don't know which one with.

"She jumped out the gates last time and hit the front. She didn't want to be there, but the jockey didn't know her, either. She is a tough filly and we thought the hurly burly of the race would suit her.

"She is a tough filly and I think we will have to race in stakes races, even though she will only go up five or six pounds for that.

"We will leave her at this trip for the time being, but she needs this ground."

Best Solution (11/2) made the most of his previous experience to get off the mark at the second time of asking in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes.

Although looking booked for second best behind newcomer Rich And Famous, the Saeed bin Suroor-trained colt shot put his head down to get up by a length and go two places better than his debut third at Windsor 22 days ago.

John Ferguson, chief executive and racing manager to owners Godolphin, said: "I am delighted with him. He has really knuckled down well. Another furlong will help him.

"I know that Mark Johnston likes Rich And Famous and he travelled really well. To knuckle down the way he did was good for Best Solution."