I did sort of promise a long long time ago (and I am blaming drink for my excessive generosity) that I would try to cover the major meetings here in the UK at least and after Cheltenham and Royal Ascot I would suggest Glorious Goodwood comes next in the racing hierarchy.
Firstly, let’s get things clear from the start – I will have a look at every race and even make my comments but to expect anyone to turn a profit when unable to be selective regarding which races is asking a bit too much for me (and for most humans, though questionable tipster advertising would have you believe otherwise), and I see this as a bit of fun. Of course I will try my best and I won’t be using any lucky pins on this occasion but if you do have a bet, be sensible – a winner a day at any price will see me smiling from ear to ear though not necessarily in any kind of overall profit.
Good luck – we will all need plenty of it, I assure you!
1.50pm– Why not start with a fiendish mile and a quarter handicap on the first day, that should see sufficient punters crucified at the first attempt eh? Godolphin looks sure to go close with Setting Sail under James Doyle yet 7/2 looks skinny in a seventeen runner race and I was sorely tempted by Mountain Hunter with Cieren Fallon such good value for his five pound claim. Both should be on the scene at the finish with a clear run, but I will side with Nicklaus each way for William Haggas. A first time tongue tie should help his breathing after a one paced second over the mile at Salisbury last month, and if he gets the trip (plenty of stamina on the dam’s side), then he won’t be far away at a double figure price at these weights.
2.25pm– That’s more like it! The Group Two Vintage Stakes has seen some high class winners over the years with globetrotters Highland Reel and Expert Eye topping the more recent ones as far as I am concerned. It will be interesting to see how the winner gets on both this season and beyond and although I know the Mark Johnston yard think highly of Visinari, I can’t see past the unbeaten Pintatubo for Godolphin and James Doyle. Three runs and three wins at Wolverhampton, Epsom, and Ascot (in the Listed Chesham Stakes) have certainly caught the eye, with the Epsom run suggesting he has a better chance than most of handling this switchback track. Positive is an interesting alternative at a bigger price and was value for even further than the official five length margin when making a winning debut at Salisbury and if there I a fly in the ointment, Clive Cox’s colt could well be the one with his lack of experience the only reason he is not the selection.
3.00pm - Sir Dancealot took this last year for trainer David Elsworth and jockey Gerard Mosse and is back for more in 2019 and has to be on any shortlist, as does Breton Rock who is also engaged and won this in 2017. Three year olds don’t have a great recent record against their elders, though Richard Fahey took this with Garswood in 2013 and has a good chance of another success with Space Traveller who has the added benefit of an on-fire Danny Tudhope in the saddle. A winner last time out at Royal Ascot in the Jersey Stakes over this trip and has seen his rating upped to 113 making him the joint highest rated in this contest, yet he receives lumps of weight from his elders. He isn’t a good thing but at 13/2 or better he can also be backed each way and we can expect him to be brought with a very late run if luck is on our side, of course.
3.35pm – The race of the day and one well worth watching but sadly, perhaps not a race to bet in with any seriousness. John Gosden’s Stradivarius may be the only horse to rival stable companion Enable’s popularity with the betting public after winning his last seven races including to Gold Cups at Ascot and will start odds on here but he only beat Dee Ex Bee by a length last time out and is no good thing. Cross Counter was back in fourth that day, but he was having his first start for a couple of months and sweated up badly which may yet explain his less than hoped for effort. The added half mile at Ascot saw him covered up before a one paced finish but he could be happier over the two miles today and looks the value call in a race perhaps best watched than punted on.
4.10pm – I can’t pretend it doesn’t feel strange to have a maiden on a card of such International importance but six furlongs it is for two-year-olds and in a race that saw a 100/1 winner in 2017 – so our fingers need to be even more tightly crossed than normal. Richard Hannon has won two of the last four runnings of this race and has three entered here, though working out which is the stable number one would be a work of art in itself. Franke Dettori rides forecast favourite Cobra Eye while Ryan Moore is an eye-catching jockey booking for the unraced Fuwayrit, but I noted Lost In Time on his Chelmsford debut and won’t be deserting him just yet. A beautifully bred son of Dubawi out of Listed winner reunite (by Kingmambo), he was as green as grass that day before coming home a distant and one-paced second but should be a different proposition with that run under his belt and a decent effort is eagerly anticipated.
4.45pm – Two races to go and both of them handicaps (not my favourite betting races of choice I assure you), but needs must when the devil drives and here’s hoping the cards play out the way I hope. This is one of those races where you wonder just how many times you can keep jumping over a cliff before serious injury but in I go again with one time top sprinter Muthmir dropping in to handicap company again despite being Group class last season. He has won and placed here in the past over course and distance in far better races which has to been as a good thing and races off two pounds lower than his last run when tenth at Ascot when veering right at the start and never getting on terms. Of course he is a huge risk and at the age of nine, maybe his time has passed, but he is the best horse in this race ON HIS DAY and is the only one I can come with any reasoning for in this field.
5.15pm– Just the three runnings of this race so far and all three winning trainers are represented once again in 2019. Roger Varian has the likely favourite in Salayel who has a solid each way chance after one win and three places from four starts this season, and he looks the one to beat, but at 10/1 what’s wrong with Mark Johnston’s Warning Fire who has won three of his last four starts and doesn’t know how to give up as is typical for the yard. This is a step up in class and he does have to shoulder a six-pound penalty for his last win at Redcar, but he does seem overpriced and we can be pretty confident we will get a big effort for any each way bets we may have.
Sean’s Suggestions:
Nicklaus each-way 1.50pm Goodwood Tuesday
Pinatubo 2.25pm Goodwood Tuesday
Space Traveller each-way 3.00pm Goodwood Tuesday
Cross Counter 3.35pm Goodwood Tuesday
Lost In Time each-way 4.10pm Goodwood Tuesday
Muthmir 4.45pm Goodwood Tuesday
Warning Fire each-way 5.15pm Goodwood Tuesday
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