Racing Chat - Wednesday July 27th

[The Brigadier]

Goodwood 1.50

Day two of the Goodwood Festival kicks off with a class 2 12F three year old handicap. I don’t like tipping favourites but sometimes they just stand out and although only one favourite has obliged in the last ten years in this race I can’t get away from Charlie Appleby’s top weight Secret State. A winner of his last three starts having started his career with a second spot in the Wood Ditton behind the smart Francesco Clemente with his latest victory coming in the King George V Stakes Handicap at Royal Ascot from the subsequent group 3 winner Deauville Legend. 2 1/2L back in 6th that day was Andrew Balding’s Teumessias Fox whilst George Baker’s Surrey Mist was just behind and the Haggas runner Mandobi was a further 5 1/2L further back. That trio re-oppose on 4lb, 7lb and 8lb better terms respectively but I fully expect William Buick’s mount to confirm the form and enhance his St Leger claims for which he’s currently only a 14/1 chance. Surrey Mist may actually come out the best of the three behind him that day and chase him home.

 

SECRET STATE 3 points win @ 9/4 bet365

 

Goodwood 2.25

A bumper field of seventeen assemble for the group 3 Oak Tree Stakes and it does have an open look about it this year. Pushing for favouritism currently is the Saeed Bin Suroor trained Soft Whisper who had four of these in Bounce The Blues, Improvised, She Do and Internationalagent behind when winning at Chelmsford last time. She should confirm the form with that quartet but I don’t like his wide draw in 16 of 17 and I can pass her over. The other top rated on official ratings here is the Richard Hannon trained Heredia, a good winner of the Sandringham at Royal Ascot but a bit disappointing when very well supported in a Sandown listed contest last time. She drops a furlong today and has claims but I like Oscula who actually finished a length ahead of Heredia at Sandown and is 3lb better off at the weights today. I’m surprised she’s twice the price of the Hannon filly especially after a good effort at Ascot last Saturday behind Jumbly. The other runner I like is Ed Walker’s Primo Bacio who has ideal conditions today and wasn’t disgraced in a group one last time. I’ll dutch the pair of Oscula and Primo Bacio here who both have favourable low draws and just hope they don’t find too much trouble in running.

 

OSCULA 1 point win @ 11/1 William Hill

PRIMO BACIO 1 point win @ 17/2 William Hill

 

Goodwood 3.00

Eight go to post for the group 3 Molecomb Stakes and I really can’t see past the favourite Rocket Rodney who will be very hard to beat. George Scott’s flag bearer has the best form and has shown his liking for this switchback course having won a novices stakes race over course and distance here in April prior to an excellent neck runner up in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot to Little Big Bear (impressive winner since) with Eddies Boy (winner of valuable sales race since) back in third. He stands out here and is the days best bet. David Loughnane’s Walbank looks his chief danger having finished runner up in the group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot to The Ridler. Eddies Boy is held on Ascot form by the selection and this should be a point and shoot job for Daniel Muscott.

 

ROCKET RODNEY 4 points win @ 5/4 William Hill

 

Goodwood 3.35

Only seven go to post for the group one Sussex Stakes following the eleventh hour defection of 2000 Guineas winner Coroebus and it looks a penalty kick for the smart Baaeed. William Haggas’s Shadwell Stud owned four year old is now unbeaten in eight starts and as he already holds most of these on earlier form should be winning. Last years winner Alcohol Free comes here on the back of a July Cup victory over 6F but is held by the favourite on earlier form. He’s at prohibitive odds but should be a banker for any acca bet.

 

Goodwood 4.10

A class 2 nine runner fillies handicap run over just short of ten furlongs is up next. William Haggas’s Sea Speedwell is making her handicap debut and under Tom Marquand appears to hold claims. Also on the short list has to be the John and Thady Gosden trained Natasha who wasn’t disgraced in a similar contest at Newmarket twelve days ago. Hughie Morrison’s Lyrical Lady ran a smashing race in listed company last time when only 6L behind the useful Grande Dame. She has paid the penalty for that mind with a rise of 11lb. A tough race but in the hope that the Gosden runner has come forward for her recent re-appearance I’m with Natasha.

 

NATASHA 1 point each way @ 5/1 bet365

 

Goodwood 4.45

The ITV terrestrial coverage finishes with a ten runner two year old fillies’ conditions stakes. A warm favourite here is the Richard Fahey trained The Platinum Queen who on official ratings has plenty in hand here. A winner at Ripon on her debut in June she may have found the Queen Mary all too much a fortnight later when finishing down the field as a 66/1 shot. She bounced back however three weeks later when dominating from the gate to take a nine runner field apart at York from odds on favourite Yahsat. Oisin Orr has ridden the Cotai Glory juvenile in all three of her racecourse starts and keeps the partnership intact today and will be hard to beat. All The Time was ultra impressive on her debut when an impressive 5L winner at Nottingham but blew out in the Queen Mary (some 7L behind The Platinum Queen) finishing plum last. She’s no doubt better than that but has questions to answer now and this can go to the The Platinum Queen

 

THE PLATINUM QUEEN 3 points win 11/8 William Hill

THE PLATINUM QUEEN / ROCKET RODNEY 2 point win double. 11/8 & 5/4 William Hill

[richard-westwood]

Good 150 

Secret state  8.5 9/4 

Teumessias fox  8.3 18/1 

Soulcombe  8.3  5/1 

I'll try ew on 2nd and 3rd rated 5pts ew both 4 places