Mohaather may be the one to beat in Goodwood's Sussex Stakes

Mohaather and Dane O'Neill prevail earlier this month at Ascot / Picture: Getty

Marcus Tregoning is hoping Mohaather’s superb turn of foot could prove the deciding factor in what promises to be a compelling clash of the generations in the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on Wednesday.

The Group 1 mile showpiece, which forms part of the QIPCO British Champions Series, has attracted Kameko and Wichita, who dominated the finish of the QIPCO 2000 Guineas last month, plus Siskin and Vatican City, who were the first two home in the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas.

The Classic generation will be challenged by Circus Maximus, a three-time Group 1 winner who was runner-up to Too Darn Hot in last year’s Sussex Stakes, plus Mohaather and San Donato, the first two home in the Group 2 Betfred Summer Mile at Ascot this month.

Mohaather was an emphatic winner that day, having previously endured a luckless run behind Circus Maximus in the Queen Anne Stakes at the same course on his return last month, when he and jockey Jim Crowley simply had no room to manoeuvre.

Tregoning is seeking his first Group 1 win since landing the Derby with Sir Percy in 2006 and said: “It’s a tough order but I don’t think we could have Mohaather any better and he deserves a crack at it. He took his race in the Summer Mile very well and was back cantering the next day.

“He went through the gears well last time and Dane [O’Neill, his jockey] gave him just the one tap. If he’d given two or three, then he would have probably won by six lengths. It was a good exercise as it proved he got the mile well and it gave us an indication that we are good enough to have a go.

“I don’t see why he won’t handle the track because he’s a neat horse who travels well and has plenty of speed. Hopefully he’s going to run a big race.”

The Queen Anne was run at a steady pace and it could be the same story on Wednesday as there are no habitual front-runners in the field. However, Tregoning says the potential lack of an end-to-end gallop does not concern him.

He said: “This horse has an electric turn of speed, so I’m not worried about it. If they go no pace, they go no pace. He has got enough speed to win over six furlongs, as I’ve always said.