The Lambourn yard of Group 1-winning trainer Ed Walker hit the headlines for all the right reasons at Royal Ascot 2025. Thanks to Noble Champion (Jersey Stakes) and Never Let Go (Sandringham Stakes), the Walker yard celebrated two famous successes at the most prestigious meeting of the year.
Fuelled by those victories, Walker is set to send his biggest ever team to the next major stop on the summer racing tour – the Qatar Goodwood Festival. Could further success await in the Sussex sunshine? Not if Walker’s overall record at this fixture is any guide.
Flying Start but Nothing Since
Ed Walker wasted little time striking at the Panama hat-strewn festival. Setting out as a trainer in 2011, he hit the Glorious Goodwood target at the very first attempt, when saddling Red Gulch to victory in the Poker At bet365 Stakes.
Poker At bet365 Stakes Result – 26th July 2011
| Position | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Red Gulch | Ed Walker | J-P Guillambert | 16/1 |
| 2nd | Guest Book | Mark Johnston | Silvestre De Sousa | 7/1 |
| 3rd | Truism | Amanda Perrett | Ryan Moore | 7/1 |
| 4th | Don’t Call Me | David Nicholls | Adrian Nicholls | 13/2 |
Fourteen years after that victory, Walker’s tally of Glorious Goodwood winners remains at precisely one. No fewer than 31 Group class wins have fallen Walker’s way in the intervening years, but not so much as a handicap, maiden, or novice event at the mid-summer spectacular. Quite why this is the case remains something of a mystery, with the trainer unable to shed much light when stating: “The Qatar Goodwood Festival has not been very lucky for us.”
Time for Change in 2025?
It remains to be seen whether Walker ends his long wait for a second winner in 2025. However, if he comes up short, it certainly won’t be for lack of trying. With the final fields beginning to take shape, the 42-year-old trainer looks set to be strongly represented in the juvenile, three-year-old, and older horse divisions. Will any of the following provide the long-awaited success?
Juveniles
- Do Or Do Not – One of the more talented maidens in the juvenile division aims to strike at the fifth time of asking in the Vintage Stakes. Having finished a gallant second in the Coventry Stakes and July Stakes, he steps up to seven furlongs for the first time here
- Golden Brown – Like Do Or Do Not, Golden Brown has yet to break his duck. However, he posted his best effort yet when going down by just a neck last time out at Newcastle. With the winner of that race since finishing an excellent third in the Super Sprint, the form looks solid. Making his first appearance since a gelding operation, Golden Brown may go close in the Hawes & Curtis Nursery Handicap
- River Spey – While Do Or Do Not and Golden Brown have posted fine efforts in defeat, River Spey will need to step up on his previous efforts to claim the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes. Fifth in his two outings to date, hopes hinge on a recent gelding procedure sparking improvement
Three-Year-Olds
- Celandine – This Kingman filly lacked a little sharpness on her seasonal return in the Group 3 Summer Stakes but is a talented sprinter on her day. The pick of her three wins at two came when mastering Time For Sandals in the Group 2 Lowther Stakes. With that horse since causing a 25/1 shock in the Commonwealth Cup, Celandine has the credentials to go well in the King George Qatar Stakes
- Fort George – Winless in three starts as a juvenile, Fort George returned with a bang to beat the subsequent Italian Derby winner at Newmarket. Unlucky to finish second at Goodwood in May, he runs in the colours of locally based Mrs Fitri Hay and has the Coral Kincsem Handicap as his big target
- Noble Champion – Walker’s big star of the Royal Ascot meeting sets out to back up his Jersey Stakes triumph in the HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes. Entering the season as a 2,000 Guineas hopeful, Noble Champion fell short of that standard in his first two outings, while a drop to sprinting didn’t work out at Newbury. However, his thrashing of the field at Royal Ascot by more than three lengths vindicated the early faith of his connections. If getting a strong pace to aim at once again, he could go close
Older Horses
- Balmoral Lady – Having conquered surprise July Cup winner No Half Measures earlier in the season, Balmoral Lady could join Celandine in the King George Qatar Stakes field. She disappointed last time out at Sandown but had previously run well in the King Charles III Stakes. The four-year-old has her chance in a wide-open division, particularly if the rain arrives
- English Oak – This son of Wootton Bassett looked like a potential star when running away with the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot 2024. Rather than rise through the ranks, he has lost all nine subsequent outings, including a desperate effort in defence of his Buckingham Palace Stakes crown. On the plus side, he is now 11 pounds below his career high mark, which gives him a chance of bouncing back in either the Coral Chesterfield Cup or Golden Mile
- Scenic – Recently acquired by Wathnan Racing, Scenic performed with credit on her first outing in her new silks to go down by just a neck to the highly regarded Estrange in the Lancashire Oaks. On that performance, the five-year-old looks like one of Walker’s best chances of the week, as she moves back up in trip to tackle the Lillie Langtry Stakes
- Sir Lowry’s Pass – Using form at Goodwood as a measure, Sir Lowry’s Pass is the standout member of the Walker team. A perfect two from two at the Sussex venue, the Siyouni colt claimed a maiden event in 2025 before bagging a handicap off a mark of 87 on his seasonal return. He’s now rated 94 and disappointed last time out at Haydock, but may bounce back on his return to his favourite track
With only eight wins across June and July, Ed Walker is operating below his usual win rate for this time of year. However, while struggling at the more run-of-the-mill meetings, he has saved his best for the big occasions in 2025. Will that trend continue at the 2025 Qatar Goodwood Festival?