Hi all,
A decent enough day with two winner’s courtesy of Cepheus & Great White Shark. I have looked at four of the handicaps on the final day of Glorious Goodwood and one of the Galway handicaps. There’s also a card at Newmarket but the four races on ITV racing contain small fields and don’t really appeal.
Goodwood
1:50 – Unibet Stewards’ Sprint Handicap (Consolation Race For The Stewards’ Cup) (Class 2) – 6f
The Charlie Hills trained Rewaayat heads the market for this. He’s a 5-year-old but he’s unexposed for his age, just the 11 starts, and has improved this season to win both his starts. Up 12lb for his last success at Salisbury but it’s not difficult to think he remains on a winnable mark.
Of the rest at an each-way price Music Society looks interesting with Tom Marquand booked. The 5-year-old won the Ayr Bronze Cup last September and a return to trip to that venue next month may well be his target again. Not really hit his best form so far on three starts this season but he’s just 2lb above his Ayr winning mark and could get into the money.
Advice: It’s hard to look beyond the favourite Rewaayet but Music Society has place claims if the going isn’t to quick.
1pt win – Rewaayat – 7/2 @ Bet365
2:25 – Unibet Summer Handicap (Class 2) – 1m 6f
Laafy who made a winning seasonal return to action at Newbury last month heads the ante post market. The 5-year-old followed up his Newbury win with a good second in the Old Newton Cup at Haydock 27-days ago. That’s as good a recent form as there is on offer and he did win over 1m 6f last year so the return to this trip shouldn’t be a problem.
Platitude is dual C&D winner but hasn’t won since May 2018. This means he’s dropped down back to a winnable mark. Ran well to finish second at Sandown 11-days ago and Jim Crowley has been booked for the ride.
Mark Johnston has won this three times since 2015. He saddles a pair of lively contenders in Themaxwecan & King’s Advice. The former won here over 2m last September, He beat Platitude by a length that day but that one has a 12lb pull in the weights today. Ran well enough when 4th of 16 at Royal Ascot two starts back, over today’s distance, to suggest he can be competitive here. Must bounce back from a poor run in the Marsh Cup last time but from a yard whose horse often do. Quick ground is in his favour.
King’s Advice has dropped down to a very tempting handicap. The 6-year-old was in good form last year winning eight races, including this off 4lb higher. Comes in to the race after two dreadful performances at Newcastle & Newmarket (soft ground wouldn’t have suited). Four from five on good to firm and two from two over C&D and if he was to bounce back to his best form, would take some beating.
Verdict: Plenty to like about the claims of the favourite Laafy. Platitude finds winning hard but his C&D form means he’s a contender. Mark Johnston’s recent record in the race means his pair need respecting.
1pt win – King’s Advice – 8/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
3:35 – Unibet Stewards’ Cup (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) – 6f
Nahaarr had too much class for his rivals when winning at Newbury 13-days ago. The faster they go in a race the better he is. Up 7lb for his last win but he’s a handicap sprinter very much on the up. Deserves his place at the head of the betting and will take the beating if stall 19 isn’t an inconvenience.
Watan finished runner-up to Nahaarr at Newbury. He was giving away race fitness to the winner that day as it was his first start for a year. Should be sharper today and Ryan Moore takes the ride. One from one over C&D and should get closer to the favourite.
Watan’s stablemate Lexington Dash won his first two starts of the season at Newmarket and wasn’t disgraced under a penalty when 4th of 17 in a valuable 3-year-old handicap on the July Course 25-days ago. It was soft ground last time and a return to quicker will could see his improvement continue.
Meraas bounced back to form returned to good ground when winning the Scottish Stewards Cup at Hamilton 16-days ago. Up 6lb for that win but the 3-year-old could be a Group horse in a handicap. Mind you he will have to be to win this off his present mark. Since 2015 3-year-old’s have a good record in the race 3 winners from 11 runners 4 placed. Could have a good draw in stall 4.
Open Wide was runner-up in this last year off 3lb higher. Has yet to fit form on his three starts this season and disappointed at Windsor last time. Quick ground and an end to end gallop suits the 6-year-old ideally. A reproduction of last years best brings him right into the mix.
Gulliver normally runs his race in these big field handicaps. Fourth in the Wokingham two starts back he got caught in the Scurry Handicap at the Curragh 14-days ago and has been raised 5lb for that.
Swindler was an improving handicap sprinter last season winning twice at Ascot. The 4-year-old wasn’t knocked about when 5th on his seasonal reappearance before refusing to enter the stalls in the Silver Wokingham. Suited by quick ground he’s got ability and is probably on a winnable mark. If Goodwood suits and he’s on a going day he would make them all go. Stall 23 may not be where he wants to be though.
Aljady has won two of this three starts this season. Up 5lb for winning at Windsor but can’t be ruled out given his present from.
Kimifive won here over 7f last spring and didn’t get the best of runs when 6th of 17 in the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket last time. Showed two starts back at Haydock that a drop to 6f isn’t an issue if he gets to chase a strong pace. On a winnable mark and Cieren Fallon takes off a handy 5lb.
Atalanta’s Boy was steadily progressive in 2019 winning 6f handicaps at Doncaster and here. Continued his form in 2020 when making all to win at Chelmsford on his return to action in June before putting a career best when runner-up at Windsor 34-days ago. Up in class here but can go well from stall 4.
Verdict: As you can see my ‘long’ shortlist there are plenty of contenders. Despite liking both horses, a high draw slightly puts me off Nahaarr & Swindler. Last year’s runner-up Open Wide should get his ideal pace set up and has each way claims. Kimifive is on a winnable mark and is another who should be suited by the pace of the race. The progressive Meraas is a major contender as is Lexington Dash.
0.5pts each way – Open Wide – 33/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes (Paying 6 places 1/5 odds)
0.5pts each way – Atalanta’s Boy – 20/1 @Bet365 (paying 5 places ¼ odds)
1pt win – Swindler – 12/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Despite being a 5-year-old previous C&D winner Atalanta’s Boy could be open to more progress.
4:10 – Society Lion, trained by Sir Michael Stoute has improved with each start this season. He’s sure to be popular after his good second at Doncaster 24-days ago. He travelled like a good horse that day and showed notable change of gear to take up the running a furlong out.
King Ragnar is another last time winner. He won on good to firm at Leicester 15-days ago. Up 5lb now but if he continues to progress, should be in the mix at the finish.
Tomfre is more exposed than the previous three mentioned. However, he looked improved when an unlucky runner-up at Sandown two starts back. Just 3lb higher he was a shade disappointing when only 11th against the holder horses in the Bunbury Cup. He’s better than that form and a reproduction of his Sandown run off makes him a strong contender.
1pt win – Tomfre – 15/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Galway
5:15 – Princess Zoe is sure to be popular after her win here over 2m 1f, five days ago. Won over today’s trip two starts back so the drop in trip won’t concern the mare if they go a decent gallop. Has a 7lb penalty to carry but Joey Sheridan had been booked to take off a handy 5lb. Stall 14 could be better and she will need luck in the run. But if the cards fall right, she can defy the penalty.
Dangers to the favourite abound. War Diary was 4th in this race 12 months ago. He’s since switched to the Michael Halford yard. The 5-year-old made a highly encouraging debut for his new trainer when runner-up to a stablemate, who improved to win again, in the Cork Derby 27-days ago. With natural improvement looks capable of going close.
The Aidan O’Brien trained 3-year-old Memorablis got off the mark at the third attempt in a Fairyhouse maiden two starts back. Set the pace in a Group 2 at the Curragh last time but eventually finished a well beaten 4th of 6. Handicap debut here and the colt needs to improve to defy a mark of 94.
Donnacha O’Brien saddles Emperor of the Sun who was 5th of 10 from off the pace in the Ulster Derby 8-days ago. Gets the first-time hood and is lightly raced to think there could be more improvement to come from the colt who acts on the track as he showed when winning a maiden here as juvenile 12 months ago.
Halimi won here over ½ furlong further 12 months ago. He goes well on soft/heavy ground and ran well when 2nd of 13 at the Curragh last Sunday. The 4-year-old is consistent and looks sure to run his race on a track he goes well and ground that suits but he remains vulnerable to any better handicapped horses of his present mark.
Takarengo ran on well to finish 5th behind Princess Zoe at the Curragh in the Ladies Derby. Both last years win came on testing ground so underfoot conditions won’t phase him. The extra distance of the was expected to suit in the 2m 1f handicap won by Princess Zoe early in the week but he pulled to hard and didn’t stay. Drop back to today’s distance on soft ground could see an improved performance.
Melburnian beat Halimi by 2 ½ lengths in the October Handicap at the Curragh last year. She should come on for a low key run on her seasonal reappearance in the Cork Derby and can’t be totally dismissed on her improved form of last autumn. However, she maybe one for later in the season. Trainer Tony Martin has won this race in 2014 & 2016.
Verdict: A typically competitive Galway handicap. The inform and progressive Princess Zoe could well defy her penalty and gain her second win here this week. There could be more to come from Emperor Of The Sun on just his second start for Donnacha O’Brien. War Diary should be all the better for his seasonal return and should be there at the finish as should Takarengo who’s better than he was able to show behind Princess Zoe on Monday.
0.5pts each way – Takarengo – 20/1 @ Paddy Power (paying 5 places 1/5 odds)
Cheers
John