Aljabr heads acceptors for the Sussex Stakes

Last year's winner Aljabr heads 13 entries left in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on Wednesday after yesterday's confirmation stage.

Last year's winner Aljabr heads 13 entries left in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on Wednesday after yesterday's confirmation stage.

His owners, Godolphin, also have Josr Algarhoud and Muhtathir in the £250,000 Group One contest.

Giant's Causeway, winner of the St James's Palace and Eclipse Stakes on his last two starts, and Manhattan are leading Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien's two acceptors.

The other possible overseas runner is Dansili, trained in France by Andre Fabre.

Irish 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes winner Crimplene is still in the one-mile event. However, Clive Brittain's filly also holds an engagement in next Saturday's Nassau Stakes over 10 furlongs.

Valentino and Medicean, a £25,000 supplementary entry, were second and third respectively behind Giant's Causeway at Royal Ascot and could renew rivalry next week.

Local trainer Amanda Perrett could bid to land her first Group One prize with improved four-year-old Indian Lodge.

Watering was yesterday continuing ahead of next week's "Glorious" Goodwood meeting. "We were promised rain yesterday but we didn't get it so watering is continuing," said clerk of the course Rod Fabricius. "The going remains good to firm and we have rain forecast again today, with light showers likely for Saturday and Sunday."

The five-day Goodwood meeting gets under way next Tuesday.

Conditional jockey David O'Meara will return to the saddle at Galway on Monday following a spell on the easy list with a broken collar-bone.

O'Meara, who sustained his injury in a fall at Newton Abbot last month, partners Late Harvest for Steve Brookshaw on the first day of the big Irish Festival.

His agent Chris Broad said yesterday: "David is very much looking forward to getting back into the swing of things after his injury which kept him out of action for over six weeks."

O'Meara rode as an amateur for Philip Hobbs's Minehead stable last season, striking up a successful association with multiple winner Celtic Native. But he no longer works for the Somerset trainer.

Broad added: "David is riding out for Steve Brookshaw and Tom George and is hopeful of picking up a few rides from those yards as well as establishing links with other stables when the season gets under way proper."

Sussex Stakes Acceptors: Aljabr (trained by Saeed bin Suroor); Almushtarak (K Mahdi); Arkadian Hero (L Cumani); Dansili (A Fabre, France); Indian Lodge (Mrs A Perrett); Josr Algarhoud (Saeed bin Suroor); Muhtathir (Saaed bin Suroor); Golden Silca (M Channon); Giant's Causeway (A O'Brien, Ireland); Manhattan (A O'Brien, Ireland); Valentino (J Gosden), Crimplene (C Brittain); Medicean (Sir Michael Stoute).