Hi all,
It’s Day 2 of the Galway Festival. The feature race of a seven-race evening card is the COLM QUINN BMW Mile Handicap (Premier Handicap) (6:40). However, most UK punters eyes will be focused on the start of the Qatar ’Glorious’ Goodwood Festival.
Looking back 12 months the course was hit by 16mm rain of rain the day before the festival got underway which changed the going too heavy for the start of the meeting. No chance of heavy this year. There may be a passing shower during the week, but it looks set to be dry & sunny and getting warmer on Friday & Saturday.
The going at Goodwood on Monday being described as good, good to firm in places and it should be that sort of ground on Tuesday.
In today’s preview I look at the six races live on ITV and the big handicap at Galway. My betting advice can be found at the end of the main piece.
Qatar Goodwood Festival – Day 1
1:50 – Coral Chesterfield Cup Handicap (Class 2) – 1m 2f
Brilliant Light and Just Fine were separated by a length when 5th and 6th in the John Smith’s Cup at York last time. Just Fine gets a 2lb pull in the weights and there shouldn’t be much between the pair again. Caradoc was not far behind that pair in 8th. He didn’t get the best of runs between the final two furlongs and can have his effort slightly marked up. The 7-year finished runner-up in this race 12 months. He needs all the cards to fall right but has a nice low draw and is well treated on his best form.
Bell Rock was a 5 length 3rd of 18 in the 2020 renewal and was non-runner on account of heavy ground last year. The 6-year-old hasn’t been at his best so far this season and maybe better over slightly shorter. Not weighted out of it with Harry Davies taking off a handy 5lb. The ground will suit, and he’s got a low draw in stall 4.
William Knight has had couple of nice winners in the last week and his runner Moktasaab is very much in the mix. The 4-year-old had looked an improver when beating Caradoc by 1 ¼ lengths in a C&D handicap in April. Didn’t seem to handle Epsom on his hat trick bid when 6th of 14 at Epsom on his next start. Might not have stayed 1m 4f when well beaten in the Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap at Royal Ascot last time and better expected here. Caradoc gets 7lb pull today but it wouldn’t surprise me if Moktasaab was to confirm their C&D form.
2:25 – Japan Racing Association Vintage Stakes (Group 2) – 7f
Holloway Boy heads the betting after his shock (40/1) racecourse debut success in the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot. The form of the race has taken a few hits since and he’s probably worth taking on.
Charlie Appleby saddled Pinatubo to win this in 2019 and he runs Mysterious Night. The Newbury winner improved again when a 3 ¼ length 3rd of 7 to Persian Force in the Group 2 July Stakes at Newmarket last time.
The Mark & Charlie Johnson saddle Dear Friend & Dornoch Castle. Both colts are unbeaten on two starts and are capable of more improvement. Its hard to split the pair but I have slight preference for Dornoch Castle. If you do fancy the Johnson horses, you’re probably best dutching them.
3:00 – World Pool Lennox Stakes (Group 2) – 7f
Sacred found things happening a bit to quickly over 6f when a length 5th of 24 in Platinum Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot last time. You can see why the filly is favourite she likes quick ground and she’s 2-2 when racing over 7f. If she handles the track’s undulations and they go a good gallop, she’ll be hard to beat. A strong pace is by no means guaranteed though.
Pogo looks set to be well positioned from stall 4 and provided they don’t go to hard early. He’s won his last two starts both in Group 3 company and he’s tough to pass when getting an uncontested lead.
Lusail is running well. A head second to Coroebus in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was a 1½ length 3rd of 11 to Tenebrism in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville last time. Today’s quicker ground will suit the 3-year-old, and this is a slightly easier assignment.
Last year’s winner Kinross bids for back-to-back wins and he’s got to be respected once more. However, it was soft 12 months ago and a bit of ease seems to suit him better.
Sandrine a promising fifth in the 1,000 Guineas ran well as could be expected when a 2 ¾ length 3rd of 5 to Prosperous Voyage in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket last time. The drop in class and distance could be ideal for the filly and I think she can go well, if she handles the track.
3:35 – Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup Stakes (Group 1) – 2m
It’s potentially a cracker with Ascot Gold Cup winner Kyprios taking on Stradivarius who bids for a 5th win in the race.
Last year’s winner Trueshan has also been declared and he proved his wellbeing for this when putting up one of the great weight carrying performances in recent flat history in the Northumberland Plate. Will he run though? If he does, he will be tough to beat even on ground that will be quicker than ideal.
Coltrane created a good impressive when winning the Coral Marathon at Sandown. He showed once again what strong a stayer he is and he’s definite improver. If he takes to the track, he remains the each-way bet at the 10/1 available with Bet365 & Coral.
4:10 – Nicholson Gin Handicap – 5f
Lord Riddiford won this last year off 1lb higher and is 2-3 over C&D. Not been at his best so far in 2022 but this has likely been the plan. The ground was much softer last year but he seems fine on good ground. Must be respected on account of his form at the track and could be nicely drawn stall 2.
Atalis Bay won a Sandown Listed race over the minimum trip last June and looks handily weighted on his 1 length 3rd of 10 back in handicap company at Haydock last September. Now 5lb below his Haydock mark he’s competitively weighted although he hasn’t been at his best so far this season. In the mix if bouncing back to last season’s best.
The harder they go up front the better for Embour. He’s probably better over 6f but he a short head runner-up at Chelmsford over the minimum trip last September so he can run well over 5f. There was plenty to like about his 2 ¼ lengths 3rd of 5 at Catterick (6f) last time 13-days ago That was the 7-year-old’s first run since wind surgery, finished his race strongly from off the pace. He’s become a very well handicapped horse.
Equality wad badly drawn when only 12th of 20 to Mountain Peak at Ascot last time but he shaped like he was still in form. The 4-year-old is better judged on his 2 ½ length 3rd of 20 in the Epsom Dash two starts back. Respected if as effective on quicker ground as an easier surface.
Dusky Lord was well beaten in the Epsom Dash, but he lost two shoes that day so can’t be judged to harshly. Much better when a 1 ¼ length 4th of 12 to Celsius at Newmarket last time. He remains on a fair mark and if the first time cheekpieces have the desired effect and eke out a bit more improvement would go close.
Galway
6:40 – COLM QUINN BMW Mile Handicap (Premier Handicap) – 1m ½ f
Trainer Adrian McGuinness has won the last three running’s of this valuable handicap and saddles no less than 8 of the 18 runners. They all have chances, but 2019 & 2020 winner Saltonstall looked to be working his way to winning form when a 3 ¼ length 4th of 13 in a valuable 1m 2f handicap at Leopardstown. He’s back down to a winning mark and should go close over a C&D that really suits. One place and 2 ½ lengths in front of Saltonstall at Leopardstown was Mosala. That was an excellent effort by the 5-year-old, and he was a 3 ½ length 3rd of 18 in last year’s race, off 4lb higher. A reproduction of last year’s performance would see him go close. Three-year-olds haven’t won this race since 2004 but recent Killarney winner Cowboy Justice is interesting on his return to handicap company and whilst he’ll need luck in the run from stall 16, he hails from the inform Jessica Harrington yard who had a treble here yesterday.
Betting Advice:
Goodwood
1:50 – 1pt win – Bell Rock – 8/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes and 1pt win – Moktasaab – 11/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
3:00 – 1pt win – Sandrine -11/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
3:35 – 1pt win – Coltrane – 9/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
4:10 – 1pt win – Atalis Bay – 17/2 @Bet365 and 1pt win – Embour – 12/1 @ Bet365
Galway
6:40 – 1pt win – Mosala – 6/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes and 1pt win – Saltonstall – 8/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Cheers
John