2021 Sussex Stakes Tips - Hannon's filly can light up Glorious Goodwood

The stand-out contest on day two at Glorious Goodwood is the Sussex Stakes. This Group One has been won by many of the best milers flat racing has ever produced, and a classy field of colts and fillies have been confirmed in this year's renewal.

We've taken a look through the latest odds and picked out our best bets.

Topping the market we find Poetic Flare, who's landed the 2000 Guineas and the St James's Palace Stakes during a stellar first half of the season. Jim Bolger's charge also finished a very close second to Mac Swiney on heavy ground in the Irish Guineas, so he should be able to deal with the tricky ground conditions on Wednesday.

Since the days of Soviet Song, who won the Sussex in 2004 and finished second in '05 and 06', only two fillies and mares have taken on the colts in this Group One, and both finished third. Alcohol Free and Snow Lantern have traded top-level wins in recent start, and they'll also have a three-year-old allowance on their side.

After Battleground was withdrawn, Aidan O'Brien will be represented by Lope Y Fernandez and Order Of Australia. While both are capable of winning, neither have won on ground softer than good, which is a big negative this week.

Tilsit got the better of Century Dream when they clashed in the Summer Mile at Ascot last time out, and they'll renew rivalries in the Sussex Stakes. Chindit comes into this on the back of two decent fifth-place finishes in Group Ones, but heavy ground is a real worry for Richard Hannon's three-year-old.

French raider Duhail should have no trouble dealing with the going, but this will be his first start above Group Three level. Richard Fahey's Space Traveller completed the Glorious Goodwood field.

Given he's so short at the top of the betting and both his best runs this season have come on firm ground, I'm inclined to take Poetic Flare on. Tilsit appeals greatly at his current price, but after reading Charlie Hill came close to withdrawing his star when the ground turned to good-to-soft at Ascot last time out, the chances of him running on heavy seem slim.

I'm left trying to decide which of the fillies I want to back. Alcohol Free got the better of SNOW LANTERN when they met on heavy ground at Ascot, before Richard Hannon's filly reversed those placings in the Falmouth Stakes. 

I don't think it was the ground that beat Snow Lantern at Ascot, both she and Alcohol Free handled the conditions well. Given a smoother passage at Newmarket, Snow Lantern might have won the Falmouth by a more convincing margin. I think she was well on top of Alcohol Free and Mother Earth as she crossed the line.

With Sean Levey suspended, Jamie Spencer has been booked to take the ride. Poetic Flare, Alcohol Free, Order Of Australia and Century Dream all like to be up with the pace, so Spencer will likely get a strong pace to aim at, which should set the race up perfectly for the late-charging Snow Lantern.