Glorious Goodwood (Day 1)

[Trendsman]

14.10 Paul Goes The Extra Mile Heritage Handicap (Class 2) 1m 1f 192y A good handicap to get the five days of Glorious Goodwood on the way. We have some lively contenders in this, including the Irish challenger Braveley Thought who comes here off the back of two wins over 10f on good ground, but will have to step up considerably here to compete against some proven 10f specialists here. Jeremy Noseda's Royal Destination has won both of his starts this year and beat Cobo Bay by one length last time out at Ayr over 8f, has the pedigree being by Dubai Destinantion to get the extra quarter of a mile and is probably on paper the least exposed in this. Willie Haggas runs Alfaatha in this, who has been a little disappointing on his two starts this year, but they were competative handicaps and on paper this year i would say they were the hottest of contests coming into this and he is another one that is stepping back up in trip from his Ascot run last year in the Hampton Court Stakes (Listed) event over 12f when he finished a reasonable sixth but there could be stamina doubts here. The one that should relish the step back up in trip is Sir Michael Stoute's LANG SHINING. finished ninth in the Group 1 Coral Eclipse to Sea the Stars before going on to run fourth to City of the Kings at York over 8f. He was staying on well that day under Ryan Moore and only was not nearer due to being out paced and caught napping when the race started to really unfold and was staying on in eye catching fashion to finish three lengths back. He is 12lb better off in the weights today and no penalty and does look like one of the main principles in this. Lang Shining (Advised @ 8.6 BF) 16.35 Detica Summer Handicap (Class 2) 1m 6f Mark Johnston is represented here three fold (Drill Sergeant, Yes Mr President, Quai D'Orsay). Top weight in this Drill Sergeant finished third on the same card last year to Indian Days over an extended 9f and is 11lb higher now in the handicap and 20lb in the weight department and might find things tough to concede the weight. Quai D'Orsay finished fifth behind Hits Only Vic at York this month over todays trip and had Drill Sergeant back by three lengths when in receipt of 23lb and does look exposed at this trip, and will have it all to do to reverse the placings of that race with Sugar Ray. Godolphins Sugar Ray looked very one pace in the race that Hits Only Vic won and looks vunerable off his weight and mark. Yes Mr President has gone well this year and was a course and distance winner back in June when beating Sevenna by three and a half lengths and the fourth from that race Aim to Propser has won a staying handicap at Newbury recently. Sevenna is entered in the Group 3 Hennessey Fillies Stakes on Thursday and is one that is fancied for that race. Andrew Balding has the bottom weight in this in Cool Strike who beat Manyriverstocross last time out over 12f at head quarters by one and three quarter lengths when in receipt of 19lb in the weights, he has to concede a 3lb turn around today and a 7lb penalty but is one to consider if Nickey Mackey was not booked. So my attention turns to Ryan Moore's mount on MANYRIVERSTOCROSS for Alan King. despite finishing behind Cool Strike last time out he has the weight to turn around that form and did run a good third here over 12f back in May going down by two and three quarter lengths with Aim to Prosper back in fourth by two lengths. Is tackling the distance for the first time, and will have to be held up to the last possible moment, but no one better that producing one late that Ryan Moore. Manyriverstocross (Advised @ 5.8 BF) 17.10 Tatler Summer Season Handicap (Class 3) 1m Have really found this one a right hard one to fathom out, and i have kept coming back to just the one selection which is WELLINGTON SQUARE. But firstly a few with chances, Eve Johnson Houghton has Mujood here who has only got his in front on one occasion this year when beating Marajaa over course and distance back in May and then came out again and finished runner up to Riggins over course and distance when off a 2lb penalty, but since being raised that extra 5lb he has found life extremely tough to get in the winning enclosure, but has run with credit. was beaten by Ellemujie at Sandown going down by one length and has got a 1lb repreive from the handicapper this time around but might need another nudge and a drop of about another 2lb. Dandy Nicholls has had a good campaign this year and Bencoolen who is probably now with in the handicapper's mark after his win at headquarters over 10f, he has not really shown the potential he had at two when trained by Roger Charlton and could get some help in the weights aswell, he looked to have the Pontefract race won when agonising caught on the line by Unbreak My Heart who runs earliar in the day. My attention turns to WELLINGTON SQUARE who is stepping up in trip for the first time today and he was a winner over 7f here on good ground back in june when beating Kirk Michael by a head but i feel over this trip is going to improve much more, he ran well last time out when finishing third to Victoria Sponge and was traveling omniously well until he stumbled approaching a quarter of a mile out and had to re-compose and having to come around horse's managed to finish with a strong flourish under Travis Block, George Baker takes over this afternoon and he has a 50% strike rate with the horse and should be the one to beat in this. Wellington Square (Advised @ 8/1 BF)

[Trendsman]

Re: Glorious Goodwood (Day 1) Group Races 14.45 Betfair Gordon Stakes (Group 3) 1m 4f Sir Michael Stoute unleashes Harbinger for the first time since winning his maiden at Chester back in May and the second Changingoftheguard has gone onto win two successful races as has the fifth Norwegian Dancer and after not going to the derby he has been kept under wraps until now, and certainly does have the pedigree to be a potential good horse if coached right, but is he up to Group class so quickly. Richard Fahey's Firebet comes here off the back of three solid wins in handicap company and is another one that looks very much open to more improvement and is a massive threat to the stoute runner. Masterofthehorse has left Ballydoyle and now with Miss Diane Mountain and the credentials that the sadler's Wells has shown this year is probably the best form in this race, third in the Derby to Sea The Stars and fourth in the Irish equivalent and i felt he was given no run at all under seamus heffernan in the Irish derby and could be more suited by a strong gallop here this afternoon, but even though i thought Masterofthehorse was a potential derby hopeful, looking to what he has shown on all three runs this year i would not be surprised to see him get further than the 12f on offer today. But as these have been setting the racing world alight, Mark Johnston unleashed a horse that looked to have a lot of potential. URBAN POET showed no signs of greeness when he routed his rivals at Hamilton winning by nine lengths over an extended 11f, and he looks like the further he goes the better he will stay, and is probably the one to battle Harbinger all the way to the line this afternoon. Urban Poet (Advised @ 5.6 BF) 15.25 Betfair Cup (Group 2) 7f Main Aim comes here in good form after running Fleeting Spirit with in a length and a quarter in the Group 1 July Cup at Headquarters with JJ The Jet Plane a further half a length behind when off a level weights. they meet on the same terms this afternoon and the latter could beneficial the step up in trip. The Jersey Stakes winner Ouqba was impressive when beating Deposer by half a length and has only got a 2lb Group penalty for the success. and with the Hills team still in fine form he can definitely be in the mix here. Marcus Tregoning has had terrible luck in this and is trying to break his duck here with FINJAAN, who was third in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes last year and ran a creditable ninth in the Derby. probably is the dark horse in this as has run one of the quickest times in the field over the trip and going, but it is the trainers poor record in this that puts you off slightly, but i am taken that he can get his career back on track and win this at a right price, but on the safe side will play safe keeps at each way. Finjaan (Advised @ 11/1 e/w BF) 16.00 Betfair Molecombe Stakes (Group 3) 5f Richard Hannon's Monsieur Chevalier showed a good turn of foot to close down Shamander in the Super Sprint at Newbury with Archers Road back in third and Here Now and Why back in fifth, Star Rover in sixth and looking at the field this does look a little more competative but it do look like he had plenty more in the tank that day, but i do not feel he will have it all his own way. Tom Dascombe's Mdawee stayed on well to be just denied on the line by Totally Invincible and with Mdawee conceding another pound in the weights here he might be hard to attempt to hold that form with the latter. and it is the latter that is of interest to me in this. TOTALLY INVINCIBLE as already stayed on well to beat Mdawee at Chester with Archers Road back in third and on the weights Archers Road does have a chance to reverse that form, but does look a little exposed at present. Richard Mullen gets the recall for his trainer and again at a good price he does deserve to be there abouts again off his current low weight getting the fillies allowance. Totally Invincible (Adviced @ 16.5 e/w BF)