out" of running the colt in the more competitive St James's Palace Stakes but added "Mentally, the horse is a huge baby and still backward, and he's going to make a lovely four-year-old. I was worried because this race was quite competitive, but he destroyed them" The Sussex Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse on 27 July included some top-class older horses including Toormore and Lightning Spear but the betting was dominated by three-year-old colts with Ribchester starting the 8/1 fourth favourite behind The Gurkha, Galileo Gold and Awtaad. Ribchester produced a strong late run on the outside but in a very tight finish he was beaten into third place, a short head and a neck behind The Gurkha and Galileo Gold. On 14 August Ribchester was sent to France for the second time and started 2.75/1 second favourite behind Galileo Gold for the Prix Jacques Le Marois over 1600 metres at Deauville Racecourse. The other nine runners included Ervedya, Esoterique, Vadamos (Prix du Muguet), Lightning Spear, Stormy Atlantic (Craven Stakes), Dicton (Prix de Fontainebleau), Arod (Summer Mile Stakes) and Spectre (Prix Imprudence). Ribchester was restrained by Buick in mid-division as Galileo Gold and Arod disputed the early lead before making a forward move in the last 400 metres. Vadamos went to the front 300 metres out, but Ribchester overtook the French horse in the closing stages and won "readily" by half a length. After the race Fahey said "He is a horse with an awful lot of speed, very talented, and keeps improving with racing. He is getting stronger and better. He had to dig deep today and came out with flying colors." On his final run of the year, Ribchester started the 7/2 second favourite behind Minding for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over the straight mile course at Ascot Racecourse on 15 October. After tracking the leaders he moved into contention as Minding went to the front two furlongs out. He appeared to be outpaced by the favourite but kept on well to reduce the Irish filly's avantage and finished second, beaten half a length, with Lighting Spear in third. The other beaten horses included Awtaad, Galileo Gold, Jet Setting and Hit It A Bomb (Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf). 2017: four-year-old season For his first run of 2017 Ribchester was sent to the United Arab Emirates and moved up in trip for the Dubai Turf over nine furlong at