So far, Goshen has made
just one appearance at the Cheltenham Festival, where he was sent off
heavily-backed 5/2 favourite for the Triumph Hurdle in 2020 after
wide-margin wins, all at long odds-on, at Fontwell, Sandown and
Ascot. Indeed, the four-year-old gelding appeared set for another
when approaching the final flight in the Triumph Hurdle with a
commanding, 10-length lead. However, he failed to pick up when asked
to do so by jockey Jamie Moore and made what, under different
circumstances, might have been just an awkward, untidy mistake. Worse
was to follow, though; on landing, his off-back and off-fore legs
became tangled together, albeit momentarily, and his back legs
skidded, unbalancing Moore sufficiently to send him crashing to the
Prestbury Park turf.

Despite that
heartbreaking defeat, Goshen still finished his first season over
hurdles with a Timeform Annual Rating of 161p – identical to
Epatante, winner of the Champion Hurdle – and is currently quoted
as 8/1 co-second favourite for 2021 renewal of the two-mile hurdling
championship. Goshen ran twice on the Flat in 2020, at Haydock in
September and Goodwood in October, and was beaten favourite on both
occasions. He missed intended engagements at Wincanton and Ascot in
November, as the result of unsuitable going and an unsatisfactory
scope, but was reported ‘absolutely fine’ by trainer Gary Moore. All
being well, Goshen could start his 2020/21 hurdling campaign in the
Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle in late November or, failing that,
in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham the following month.