Goodwood racecourse MD: We're already planning for Glorious 2012

Adam Waterworth, managing director of Goodwood racecourse, gives his verdict on his first Glorious Goodwood at the helm - and pays tribute to the many people who made it special

What an unbelievable week. I don’t think that’s too strong a word to describe this year’s Glorious Goodwood. It was truly memorable for everyone involved.

The racing was first-class throughout and in the QIPCO Sussex Stakes, we had a real defining racing moment.

We gave the Duel on the Downs a huge build-up and there’s always the risk when you do that an event won’t live up to the hype. Well, this one did – and probably even exceeded expectations.

I have never seen anything quite like the way the crowd applauded Frankel and Canford Cliffs down to the start, or the reception they both got – even the beaten horse – when they came back in.

In Frankel we saw a truly outstanding horse – the world’s best racehorse. I don’t think everyone realised when they were actually watching the race how good that run from Frankel was. It’s one of those that the more you watch it back, the better it gets. And I don’t think there’s any doubt the Duel on the Downs helped lift the whole week.

We had highlights every day. There was Frankie Dettori’s win in the Artemis Goodwood Cup, Hayley Turner winning the totesport Mile for her first win at the festival, and then, of course, Midday winning her third Markel Insurance Nassau Stakes.

It was lovely for Prince Khalid Abdullah, Sir Henry Cecil and Tom Queally to win both bour Group 1 races. They thoroughly deserved their successes and you could tell what it meant to them.