BBOTD Wednesday 31st July

[Blazing Bailey]

Last chance saloon time! Goodwood 5.25 - Good Authority 14/1 Ladbrokes This horse has run some really solid races recently and importantly, two of them have been over C&D on what will probably be similar ground. He looks the perfect type for this fast big field handicaps and like a few of the winners today he should come hard and fast at the death. The form looks good, the TS figures & RPR's back up those performances and whilst he was under par LTO (It looked a lot like he was never really put into that race IMO) his trainer hinted at targeting a big race either here or at Ascot after his last win.

[cpo]

Re: BBOTD Wednesday 31st July 1.55 Goodwood - First Avenue 1pt win @ 20/1 Bet365 First Avenue has a very modest strike rate on the flat with just 2 wins from 22 starts on turf but has a further 9 placed efforts. He does have to put a very disappointing effort at Lingfield behind him but I am happy to excuse that effort as it came under Aaron Chave who is a very inexperienced 7lb claimer. Previous to that run however, he finished an excellent 4th over 22f at Royal Ascot; of which a repeat would put him bang there. He has had very few attempts at staying trips on the flat but I think he is the type of horse that could excel in this type of race. Any more rain would be welcome as plenty of his best form in both codes has come with cut in the ground. His trainer Laura Mongan certainly knows the time of day and understands what it takes to ready a horse as she proved when this horse romped home in the Imperial Cup at Sandown earlier in the year. I like the look of this race for Frist Avenue as there should be plenty of pace on up top with the likes of Broxbourne, Beyond, Beyone Conceit and a few others liking to race prominently. I also feel this track will suit First Avenue who is a strong traveller and is capable of a fast finish even at the end of a staying race like this one. The downhill finish might just help him a little and I can see him travelling well into the race and finishing off really well. Any more rain would be welcome and would enhance his chance but he has proven he can handle any ground so it’s not imperative. He has won off a 1lb higher mark on the flat but that came all the way back in 2008 and that was in fact his last win on the flat. Last year he ran several excellent races on the flat with the best of them both coming at Epsom where he finished 2nd to Aiken and Universal respectively. His win in the Imperial Cup was a career best over jumps by some distance despite everything going in his favour. I am going to take a chance that he can bounce back to the form that seen him finish 4th in the Queen Alexandra Stakes 2 runs ago and go close in this. Laura Mongan is no stranger to having winners at this track although the booking of Jack Mitchell is a slight worry. He has a nice racing weight of 9-1 and is berthed in stall 8. He does have to go against the recent age trend for the winner of this race but he did me a favour earlier in the year so maybe he can dig me out of another hole.