Racing Chat - Thursday 28th July

[The Brigadier]

Goodwood 1.50

Day 3 of the Goodwood Festival kicks off with a thirteen runner class 2 three year old 10F handicap. There’s some highly promising types on show here none more so than Sir Michael Stoute’s Migdam who impressed when a comfortable winner at Doncaster on his re-appearance. He’s been raised 6lb for that but from an inside draw looks likely to be bang there at the finish under Ryan Moore. Charlie Appleby’s Warren Point is another progressive type but he’s already been beaten in a handicap off of a pound lower mark and may have to settle for a place. He may however be the best of the Appleby trio which includes top weight Natural World (James Doyle) in a first time hood and Blue Trail (Dettori) who’s been gelded. The two I like here though are the Roger Varian trained Asaassi who’s on the upgrade and chasing a hat trick and may still be a bit ahead of his mark and the Ralph Beckett trained Vee Sight who’s been shunted up 8lb for a comfortable Sandown success on his handicap debut 47 days ago (third won since). I’ll dutch the pair of them.

 

ASAASSI 1 point win @ 7/1 Paddy Power

VEE SIGHT 1 point win @ 11/2 Coral

 

Goodwood 2.25

The group 2 Richmond Stakes has a standout bet to me in the Paul & Oliver Cole trained Gleneagles colt Royal Scotsman. He stepped up from a promising Ascot debut when taking his field apart over course and distance in May which has worked out particularly well. That was run on good to soft ground but he found fast ground no hinderance when an excellent third in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot again a race that’s worked out very well. He stands out here and I can see him being well punted. Andrew Balding’s Chateau looks his likeliest danger having won a listed contest at Newbury last time. Eve Johnson Houghton’s Bluelight Bay was behind the selection on his debut but his subsequent win at Windsor has been boosted since and he can out run his odds but to me this should be going to the Jim Crowley ridden Royal Scotsman.

 

ROYAL SCOTSMAN 4 points win @ 15/8 Bet Victor

 

Goodwood 3.00

Ten three year old colts assemble for the 1m 4F group 3 Gordon Stakes which can be a stepping stone to the Doncaster St Leger in September. Today’s favourite is the Charlie Appleby trained New London, a monster of a horse who impressed when winning a decent three year old handicap at the July meeting at Newmarket last time out. Being such a big horse I do wonder if he will be as effective on such a track as Goodwood as he did flop at Chester earlier in the season. At the likely odds I’ll take him on. The obvious one to be with is 150/1 Derby runner up Hoo Ya Mal who’s since being bought by Gai Waterhouse to have a go at the Melbourne Cup. He’s left Andrew Balding and is now in the care of George Boughey and should go well. There shouldn’t be much between Deauville Legend and Al Qareem on Bahrain Trophy form at Newmarket with the latter 3lb better off for a head. I do like the look of Wind West Blows who flopped in the Epsom Derby in a hood but looked a revelation with the hood taken off in the listed Glasgow Stakes at Hamilton earlier in the month, making all having taken a keen hold and winning by 7 1/2L from three nice types. James Doyle takes over from Ben Curtis and hopefully will employ similar tactics here and may lead them a merry dance.

 

WIND WEST BLOWS 2 points win @ 6/1 bet365

 

Goodwood 3.35

Next up is the group one 10F Nassau Stakes for three year old and upwards fillies. A warm favourite here is the John and Thady Gosden trained three year old Nashwa who will be hard to beat having finished a non staying 3rd in the Epsom Oaks prior to winning the French Oaks over today’s trip when given a peach of a ride by Hollie Doyle. Doyle is back in the saddle and she’s hard to oppose. She’s certainly some way better than her four rivals of her own age and may have most to fear from some of the older horses. Dreamloper is the highest rated filly in the race and probably found the ground too soft at The Curragh last time. She’s yet to prove she truly stays this trip but looks a threat to the favourite and from a point of value is worth playing each way with nine declared to run.

 

DREAMLOPER 1 point each way @ 8/1 bet365

 

Goodwood 4.10

Thirteen juveniles assemble for the 7F class 2 nursery. Charlie and Mark Johnstone’s top weight True Statesman looked good when winning in handicap company at Chester earlier this month and has been raised 8lb for that win. He has to be on the short list. Others with chances include Seductive Power a Newbury winner in June and the Gosden’s Far Shot who was runner up in a Ascot nursery three weeks ago and has been raised 4lb. The one I’ll take a chance on here is the Paul & Oliver Cole trained Sunningdale who makes his handicap debut off of what appears to be a workable mark of 79. He’s quite a free running sort who took a keen hold on his second start when contesting the Chesham at Royal Ascot in finishing 10th of 13. A tongue tie was applied next time when 4th to the re-opposing Seductive Power at Newbury over 6F. He’s 5lb better off for 2 1/2L here today and with a first time hood applied presumably to try and harness his ability looks worth a small each way play here.

 

SUNNINGDALE 1 point each way @ 10/1 William Hill 1/5th 1234

 

Goodwood 4.45

A class 3 5F three year old handicap finishes the terrestrial coverage of day three of the Goodwood Festival. A wide open handicap with currently the bookmakers going 6/1 the field. Archie Watson has his team in good shape and his Dusky Prince is 2lb well in here chasing a four timer and should be thereabouts under Hollie Doyle. Clive Cox’s Get Ahead ran well on his handicap debut at Ascot last time where he didn’t really get the rub of the green, dropped 2lb for that effort he can also be competitive. Karl Burke saddles Silkie Wilkie, a consistent sort who won at Hamilton last time. Upped 4lb he’s not out of this. A wide open handicap where I’ll take a chance with the Michael and David Easterby trained runner Le Beau Garcon who I tipped in a better race than this last time when attempting 6F for the first time. He certainly wasn’t disgraced when 7th of 19 to Lethal Levi (winner since) and the drop back to the minimum trip may well suit this gelding with Paul Mulrennan back in the saddle.

 

LE BEAU GARCON 1 point each way @ 9/1 bet365 12345

 

[richard-westwood]

It's been a while since I had an ass kicking but they just aren't turning up for whatever reason ...it was due I guess ....few close 2nds and bit ew money  

445 good 

Swayze   8.6 13/2 

Sir Henry Cotton 8.5  9/1 

5pt ew both