As the summer season returns to Sussex, anticipation is building for one of the great highlights of the British flat racing calendar: the Qatar Goodwood Festival, affectionately known as Glorious Goodwood. Set against the rolling beauty of the South Downs, the festival brings together world-class racing, timeless style and a sense of occasion that is unmistakably British.
For the ninth consecutive year, Inkerman is proud to be part of that story, once again serving as the official trophy supplier to this celebrated five-day meeting.
The 2026 Qatar Goodwood Festival takes place from Tuesday 28 July to Saturday 1 August 2026 and is presented by Visit Qatar. Across the week, Goodwood will host some of the most prestigious races of the British summer, including the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, the Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes, the Qatar Nassau Stakes, the King George Qatar Stakes and the Coral Stewards’ Cup.
A festival rich in racing history
First held as a public race meeting in 1802, Goodwood has grown over more than two centuries into one of the most admired events in British racing. The meeting became known as Glorious Goodwood during the nineteenth century, and its blend of sport, sociability and summer elegance has made it a fixture of the racing calendar ever since.
Today, the Qatar Goodwood Festival remains one of the crown jewels of British flat racing. It combines aristocratic tradition with elite sporting performance, all within one of the most beautiful racecourse settings in the world.
For Inkerman, that combination of heritage, excellence and presentation makes Goodwood a natural partnership.
A partnership built on tradition and craftsmanship
This year, Inkerman is honoured to provide over 100 bespoke trophies across the five-day festival, each designed and crafted to reflect the prestige of Goodwood and the significance of the races they celebrate.
Our continued partnership with the Qatar Goodwood Festival is more than a supply relationship. It is a meeting of shared values: heritage, quality, British craftsmanship and attention to detail. Each trophy must feel worthy of the moment it marks, whether it is presented to an owner, trainer, jockey, breeder or member of the winning team.
As a proudly British brand, Inkerman draws inspiration from the deep traditions of craftsmanship and design that have shaped the country’s sporting culture for generations. At Goodwood, that tradition is visible not only on the track, but also in the presentation of every award.
Crafted in Britain, celebrated worldwide
Each Inkerman trophy is the result of collaboration with British manufacturers and skilled craftspeople, many of whom are experts in traditional techniques such as silversmithing, glassblowing and engraving. The result is not simply a trophy, but a crafted object with meaning, beauty and enduring value.
From gleaming silver cups to intricately etched glassware, every piece reflects Inkerman’s commitment to thoughtful design, sustainable sourcing and ethical production. These are trophies created to honour achievement on the day, but also to become lasting reminders of exceptional sporting moments.
The best trophies do more than record a result. They preserve a story.
Inspired by Goodwood’s artistic heritage
Many of the horses etched around the Goodwood trophies are inspired by the famous painting by George Stubbs, Racehorses Exercising at Goodwood from 1759–60.
The painting hangs in Goodwood House and depicts the Duchess of Richmond, Richard Buckner, the estate steward, and Lady George Lennox watching three horses exercising, hooded and blanketed in the Richmond livery. The spire of Chichester Cathedral can be seen in the background, with the Isle of Wight beyond.
Those three horses also inspired the Goodwood Racecourse logo, making the Stubbs imagery a natural visual reference for trophies that celebrate the estate’s racing heritage.
For Inkerman, drawing on this artwork is a way of connecting each trophy to Goodwood itself: its house, its history, its landscape and its long relationship with thoroughbred racing.
A festival that captures the spirit of summer
The Qatar Goodwood Festival is known for its extraordinary setting, elegant atmosphere and thrilling racing. It attracts racing enthusiasts, owners, trainers, jockeys, international visitors and style-conscious racegoers from around the world.
Goodwood has long had a reputation for combining sport with society. King Edward VII famously described Glorious Goodwood as “a garden party with racing tacked on”, and that spirit remains central to the festival today.
At the heart of the week is a celebration of excellence: excellence on the track, excellence in hospitality, excellence in style and excellence in presentation. Inkerman is proud to contribute to that legacy by creating trophies that reflect the grandeur of the achievements they honour.
Goodwood, Qatar and international racing excellence
The festival’s international profile continues through its association with Qatar. Goodwood lists Visit Qatar as the Presenting Partner of the Qatar Goodwood Festival, underlining the meeting’s global reach and its importance within the international flat racing calendar.
The Qatar Goodwood Festival now attracts world-class horses, leading jockeys and major racing operations from across Britain, Ireland, Europe and beyond. Its feature races are not only highlights of the British summer season, but also key contests with international significance.
This global stage makes the role of the trophy even more important. Each award must represent not only victory at Goodwood, but the wider prestige of winning at one of the sport’s most admired summer festivals.
What to expect at the 2026 Qatar Goodwood Festival
The 2026 festival runs from Tuesday 28 July to Saturday 1 August, with five days of top-class flat racing and social celebration. Goodwood’s official day-by-day guide highlights the following feature days and races.
Tuesday 28 July: Goodwood Cup Day
The festival opens with Goodwood Cup Day, featuring the Group 1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup. Goodwood describes the opening day as a feast of high-quality racing and one of the great sporting and social highlights of the British flat racing season.
Wednesday 29 July: Sussex Stakes Day
Wednesday centres on the Group 1 Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes, one of the defining races of the week. Known as the “Duel on the Downs”, the Sussex Stakes has a long-standing reputation for bringing together outstanding horses in training. Previous winners include Frankel, Solow and Mohaather.
Thursday 30 July: Ladies’ Day
Thursday is Ladies’ Day, featuring the Markel Magnolia Cup and the Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes. The Nassau Stakes is the highlight of the day’s race card, while the Magnolia Cup brings together inspirational female riders for one of the most distinctive charity races in the sport.
Friday 31 July: King George Day
Friday is King George Day, led by the Group 2 King George Qatar Stakes. The day also includes the Coral Golden Mile and the Group 3 Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes, creating a strong start to the festival’s final weekend.
Saturday 1 August: Stewards’ Cup Day
The festival concludes with Stewards’ Cup Day, where the Coral Stewards’ Cup takes centre stage. It is one of the most competitive handicaps of the season and provides a fitting finale to five days of racing, hospitality and celebration.
Looking ahead
As Inkerman celebrates its ninth year as official trophy supplier to the Qatar Goodwood Festival, we are reminded of the importance of partnerships rooted in shared passion, trust and craftsmanship.
It is a privilege to see our trophies presented at one of British racing’s most prestigious meetings, and to know that each piece carries with it a story of skill, precision and pride. Every trophy is made to honour a particular achievement, but also to become part of Goodwood’s wider sporting memory.
We look forward to another glorious week of racing in 2026, and to continuing our collaboration with Goodwood: a jewel in the crown of British sporting tradition.
About Inkerman
Founded on the principles of British heritage, craftsmanship and personalised elegance, Inkerman creates bespoke gifts, trophies and awards that are as meaningful as they are memorable.
From major sporting trophies to commemorative presentation pieces and personal gifts, every Inkerman creation is designed with care, made with purpose and intended to last a lifetime.
