There’s a superb card to kick off the Qatar Goodwood Festival on Tuesday, which includes the Group 1 Goodwood Cup along with two further Group races.
The Tote are guaranteeing £250,000 in the Placepot for it, so our editor has given his selections in an attempt to land the big prize pot.
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Leg 1: 1.40pm
Leg 1 Selections: (2) Raasel (5) Dream Composer (9) Alligator Alley
A tricky contest to open the Glorious Goodwood card, but I’ve gone for the class angel in the race, although he has to carry a fair chunk of weight. Raasel has been running in better races than this, and currently holds the form figures of 112 at Goodwood. I can see him getting back to winning ways here.
Dream Composer is another one with excellent form figures at the track, currently reading 210213, and although he does run off a career high mark, he was unlucky at Royal Ascot last time, he could bounce back to form here. With Alligator Alley potentially being the one to fill the places, looking to bounce back to form.
Leg 2: 2.15pm
Leg 2 Selections: (3) Array (14) Union Island (8) Dorney Lake
The son of No Nay Never Array was an eye catching 2nd on debut at Newbury, beaten just under 2 lengths by the far more experienced rival, who had two previous runs already, and is now rated 89. Given that was Array’s first ever run, I expect him to improve wonders hear and land this contest. He is bred to be a nice type going forward.
Union Island also finished 2nd on his debut at Hamilton, just beaten by over a length, which was a good run given how keen he was. That was only a four runner field, so the bigger field here will suit, with Will Buick booked. Dorney Lake looks nicely bred, but doesn’t have the race experience to his name, I fully expect him to come on with each run, but he looks good enough on paper to fill the places here.
Leg 3: 2.50pm
Leg 3 Selections: (11) Eagle’s Way (2) Pride Of America (12) Paradias
Bit of a chance taken with Eagle’s Way as he only ran at the back end of last week in a valuable race for the Racing League, which was his first run in over 300 days. He ran a cracker to finish 2nd, only just beaten by a head, and if he can run to that level of form off the same BHA Mark, I expect him to go well in this. He still looks to be improving, and that is the sort of profile you want for a race of this nature.
Pride Of America is one of the stable stars for Amy Murphy, and she has worked wonders with him. A winner of the John Smith’s Cup last time, he has only been raised 4lb’s for that success and he still looks to have improvement in him. Paradias has been in decent form this season, and ran well in a similar sort of race at Sandown last time where he finished fifth.
Leg 4: 3.25pm
Leg 4 Selections: (2) Haatem (4) Mountain Bear (9) Witness Stand
Haatem has had the five career runs already, so is highly tried as a 2yo, but has ran in some quite decent contests, and has run well gaining the rating of 102. Including 5th in the Coventry, only beaten 3 lengths, before going on to take on City Of Troy in the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket last time. There is no horse like City Of Troy in this, and I fully expect him to get off the mark in Group company.
Mountain Bear comes over from Ireland for Aidan O’Brien, so has to be taken very seriously, especially since he missed his engagement at Leopardstown last week. Connections opted for this race, which might mean something. Witness Stand was a very nice 2 length winner at Chester on debut, he can improve just enough to fill the places.
Leg 5: 4.00pm
Leg 5 Selections: (4) Kinross (1) Al Suhail (2) Audience
Ralph Beckett’s Kinross is the class act in this field and is rated the highest out of all the runners, plus a multiple Group 1 performer last year. Therefore he should be bouncing back to winning ways in this. He wasn’t beaten far in the Group 1 July Cup last time, and this drop back down to Grade 2 company will suit, a race he was only beaten a Neck in last year.
Al Suhail is one of those consistent horses, that is yet to win at the top level but does look to be good enough to land a Group 2 contest of this nature. He ran well to finish 6th at Royal Ascot in the 6f Group 1 on the Saturday, and back at Group 2 level, the grade he won at in Meydan will suit him. Audience overcome big odds to win a Group 3 at Newmarket last time, he could improve enough to fill the places here.
Leg 6: 4.35PM
Leg 6 Selections: (3) Courage Mon Ami (2) Coltrane (4) Eldar Eldarov
This years Ascot Gold Cup hero, the lightly raced Courage Mon Ami has only had the four career runs so far, and provided the fairy-tale Ascot Gold Cup ending for Frankie Dettori by winning the staying showpiece prize, at Frankie’s last Royal Ascot. I think given how lightly raced he is, there is even more improvement to come from the Gosden trained horse, and he does look the new potential staying King on the scene, hopefully we get to see him do battle with Kyprios at some stage in the near future.
Andrew Balding’s Coltrane is another one to come on leaps and bounds this season, once rated in the 90’s, he now holds by far the career best rating of 117, just 1lb below the favourite. A winner of the Sagaro Stakes in May before going on to come 2nd in the Gold Cup last time, I expect to see another fascinating battle with Courage Mon Ami, this time with Coltrane being the bridesmaid once again.
Eldar Eldarov promised quite a lot as a 3yo, the Queens Vase and St Leger winner was unlucky in the Yorkshire Cup earlier in the year when he was a fast finishing 2nd, he didn’t exactly back that up in the Gold Cup last time. However he was slow away and kept at the back of the field, still looking a little babyish throughout the race. He would have learnt a fair bit from that, and I can still see him improving with each run due to being fairly lightly raced, especially at these staying trips. He can stay on to fill the places like at York earlier on in the season.
Suggested Placepot
Leg 1 Selections: (2) Raasel (5) Dream Composer (9) Alligator Alley
Leg 2 Selections: (3) Array (14) Union Island (8) Dorney Lake
Leg 3 Selections: (11) Eagle’s Way (2) Pride Of America (12) Paradias
Leg 4 Selections: (2) Haatem (4) Mountain Bear (9) Witness Stand
Leg 5 Selections: (4) Kinross (1) Al Suhail (2) Audience
Leg 6 Selections: (3) Courage Mon Ami (2) Coltrane (4) Eldar Eldarov
96 Lines x 25p = £24
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