Goodwood’s Friday card features two of the final Epsom Classic trials in the Listed Height Of Fashion and Cocked Hat Stakes’. Read our through-the-card selections below, alongside Matchbook, who are offering the chance to claim up to £50 in Free Bets for Royal Ascot.
Mischief Magic (1.00 Goodwood) 2.6 with Matchbook
Despite Kaasib having flown out the blocks for Clive Cox, he may well struggle to give 6lb to the debutant MISCHIEF MAGIC.
Godolphin have loved this breeding combination of Exceed And Excel with Veil Of Silence, as Mischief Magic has three full siblings who have raced for either Charlie Appleby or Saeed Bin Suroor. All have excelled as sprinters, so this 6f sprint looks ideal for this boy’s first career start.
Two of those aforementioned siblings won on debut too, so there is further promise in that respect. It may be a slight concern that the nearest in age to him, Miss Jingles, was beaten, but she had to race on a notoriously difficult track in Newmarket on her first start. Generally speaking, this family are ready to roll first time out.
All three of his siblings recorded an RPR of at least 95 in their career, so they are very proficient racers. With the form the operation are in, it would be no surprise if he replicates them.
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Ascending (1.35 Goodwood) 10.5 with Matchbook
Having mentioned Clive Cox’s prodigious youngster in the previous contest, one who has a bit more to prove for the yard having turned three is ASCENDING.
However, he could well have a good chance of breaking his duck here. He raced four times as a two-year-old, placing only once, but he faced formidable opposition in each.
Going through the winners of his four winners sequentially brings up Dhabab, now rated 105 and placed in a Group 2, Cresta, rated 104 and placed in a Group 3, Koy Koy, now rated 93, and Wanees, now rated 91. That is a very high calibre of horses to have been up against and Ascending has been in the top half of every race he has contested.
This will be his first handicap run, but he has been given a rating of just 77, which feels lenient compared to his performances against a much higher class. He can take advantage of the handicapper’s oversight.
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Sea Silk Road (2.10 Goodwood) 2.72 with Matchbook
The most notable declaration here is Emotion for John & Thady Gosden, who is eyecatching for two reasons.
The first is that she was only eighth on her debut behind none other than stablemate Emily Upjohn, the clear favourite for the Oaks. There is no guarantee that Emotion herself will not end up there, as the manner of her success on her second start. Perhaps there was no significant opposition, but she still won by 16 lengths.
None of her rivals can match that level of thrashing, though some of them may have done so in stronger races. That is almost certainly the case with SEA SILK ROAD who represents a yard in truly phenomenal form.
William Haggas is sending out winners at a scarcely believable 47% strike rate. Sea Silk Road could easily prove another, having won by 5½ lengths over a very decent field last time. By Sea The Stars, the step up to 1m2f can help her too.
Eternal Pearl is another to watch for Godolphin, having been fourth in a hot race on debut after doing her best work at the finish.
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Montassib (2.45 Goodwood) 1.92 with Matchbook
Another Haggas runner, MONTASSIB is probably too short a price on the balance of things. However, he is also very much the likeliest winner of the race.
For one thing, the four-year-old has won both of his career starts. He has clearly had off-field issues, after not racing for 598 days between his debut as a juvenile in September 2020 and his second run at Wetherby.
That did not stop winning both, as he scored by a neck at Newcastle before his gelding operation last July. His return saw him score in a four-runner novice event.
That form could be stronger, but it was impressive to win as comfortably as he did after so long. His opening handicap mark of 87 could well underestimate the very best he is capable of.
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Maksud (3.20 Goodwood) 12.5 with Matchbook
The Listed Cocked Hat Stakes is among the last of the serious trials for the Epsom Classics.
William Haggas has talked up the chances of Lysander, who won in very good in very good style at Newcastle recently, while Natural World shaped like more was to come when third in Lingfield’s Derby Trial. That said, at the prices, there seems to be plenty of value in MAKSUD’s price.
Initially trained by John & Thady Gosden, he never ran for that yard. Instead, he had switched to Hughie Morrison’s ahead of his debut at Windsor last month. He duly won, which was impressive considering his opposition.
The runner-up may have been a big disappointment since, but the rest of the field, who he beat by at least six lengths, was strong. The fourth, Speak, had run in the Group 2 May Hill Stakes as a juvenile after winning on debut, while the fifth, Maplewood, was an easy winner after this contest.
There is reason to be hopeful Maksud can take this rise in class in his stride, even on just his second appearance.
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Crystal Estrella (3.55 Goodwood) 5.6 with Matchbook
Once again, that man Haggas holds a live chance in Ice House, but that one’s lack of any previous run may prove too much of a negative against more experienced typed with potential.
One of those is Suzy’s Shoes, who was clearly out of her depth in Lingfield’s Oaks Trial, but had previously run good races at defeat at this track and at Newbury. She should be much happier in these calmer waters, but so too should CRYSTAL ESTRELLA for Sir Michael Stoute.
She was only seventh in an uneventful debut last season, but returned quietly fancied at Sandown. It just so happened that she bumped into Oaks favourite Emily Upjohn that day, so there is no shame in her being beaten over 10 lengths: she was only a length adrift of the runner-up.
She will be learning plenty on the job, as so many of Stoute’s do, and the booking of William Buick is a big positive for her.
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Saratoga Gold (4.30 Goodwood) 4.1 with Matchbook
It was expected that Goshen would prove absurdly well-treated the last time Gary Moore sent him back to the flat two seasons ago.
However, that never proved the case, as he was sixth and third in two handicap starts. Despite not having races on the level for more than 18 months, he is only 1lb lower, yet still a short-priced favourite. He is well worth taking on.
Realistically, SARATOGA GOLD should be much closer to favouritism. The four-year-old is bred to be speedy and yet has only improved for tests of stamina. After two wins last summer, his form stalled slightly, but he was excellent on his reappearance last month.
Having been gelded in March, he ran away with a handicap at this track over 1m6f, beating Mellow Magic by 2½ lengths. He is only 4lb worse off with that rival and should be able to confirm that form as he was not stopping towards the end.
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Goodwood Through The Card Selections
Mischief Magic (1.00 Goodwood) 2.6 with Matchbook
Ascending (1.35 Goodwood) 10.5 with Matchbook
Sea Silk Road (2.10 Goodwood) 2.72 with Matchbook
Montassib (2.45 Goodwood) 1.92 with Matchbook
Maksud (3.20 Goodwood) 12.5 with Matchbook
Crystal Estrella (3.55 Goodwood) 5.6 with Matchbook
Saratoga Gold (4.30 Goodwood) 4.1 with Matchbook
