MARK Johnston can’t hide his joy – and relief – at the resurgence of star filly Lumiere ahead of a planned raid at Glorious Goodwood.

On the back of a Group One win in the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket as a two-year-old, the grey Sharmardal filly had been a leading fancy for the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket in May but inexplicably flopped, coming home last of the 16 runners behind Minding.

With the Middleham trainer still not happy with her home work, Lumiere missed Royal Ascot in June, with talk of her reverting to sprinting.

But Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammmed’s filly bounced back to form in the listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes at Newmarket over a mile last week, winning by six lengths from the Godolphin pair Cymric and Manaboo, and is now entered in the Group 2 Lennox Stakes at Goodwood on July 26.

The alternative is that she goes for the Group 1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville but the Johnston yard traditionally targets big wins at Glorious Goodwood.

“Seeing her come back to form was the most important race of the season as far we we were concerned,” Johnston said at the launch of the Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival this week.

“It’s such a relief because we thought she was so good going into the Guineas and you start to doubt yourself. She showed all the attributes we’d seen in her as a two-year-old.’’

Johnston’s son Charlie was equally as enthusiastic, saying: “Seeing her win like that was the highlight of the season by a country mile because we always thought such a lot of her.”

The Johnstons have yet to finalise Goodwood plans but Charlie is also sweet on the chances of The Last Lion in the Molecomb Stakes.

“He’s likely to have a third head to head with Prince of Lir, who’s beaten him twice, but he’ll have to give us weight at Goodwood so I think we’ve got a very good chance,” said Charlie.

Oriental Fox was considered the stable’s leading Royal Ascot hope in the Queen Alexandra Stakes but, according to Charlie, “it all happened a bit quick for him that day”.

The stayer will take his chance in the Goodwood Cup but usually comes up a bit short at that level.

Frankus, a son of the mighty Frankel, and Monticello, by Teofilo, are the leading two-year-olds in the yard at this stage and will head Johnston’s list for the Vintage Stakes.

The Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival, now in its ninth year as a way of promoting the importance of the racing industry in the county, gets underway at Ripon this Saturday.

Last year, the festival broke through the 100,000-spectators barrier for the first time and Go Racing In Yorkshire’s general manager Emma White is hopeful of beating the 2015 total of 107,000 this year.

“Give us some decent sunshine and I think we can get past 110,000,” she said. “We’ve got such a great range of tracks, with quality racing and family entertainment.”

After Ripon’s opening meeting on Saturday, the festival continues with Redcar on Sunday, Beverley on Monday evening, a sold-out Richard Fahey stable tour on Tuesday, Catterick on Wednesday, Doncaster on Thursday evening, Thirsk during the day on Friday and York in the evening, and York again on Saturday.

The Kaiser Chiefs play after racing at York on Friday evening, and The Corrs are on stage after racing at York the following day.