Our team at GG have taken a peak at the opening day of Glorious Goodwood and picked out their best bet, alongside BetUK‘s latest offer where new customers can claim £30 In Free Bets when placing a £10 bet.
Daryl Carter – Sacred, Lennox Stakes
It would be highly surprising should SACRED not turn out to be a Group 1 performer over this 7f distance for which she is 2/2, and her eye-catching run when fifth beat a length in the Platinium Jubilee would concur with that theory. She is drawn in stall 9, which may force her to get lucky in running, but this race usually lends itself to one coming from off the pace. The four-year-old is so lightly raced after just nine starts that she could easily improve past many of these under optimum conditions today, and she is entitled to improve for her first run after 308 days off the track. There’s plenty to like about her chances; still, I think she will drift in the betting.
Andrew Mount – Celsius, Nicholson Gin Handicap
CELSIUS has won seven of his 16 starts over 5f on turf when the actual going (not the official version) was good or faster and backing him under these conditions would have returned a profit of £45.20 to the usual £1 stake. In fields of 11 or more runners only, his good/faster going figures improve to 121111 (5-6), including a two from two haul this season. He faces 14 rivals y, looks well drawn in stall 6 and will be hard to beat if they haven’t overdone the watering.
Joe Napier – Atalis Bay, Nicholson Gin Handicap
My best bet on the opening day comes in the Nicholson Gin handicap at 4:10 with ATALIS BAY. Robert Cowell’s sprinter has been campaigned ambitiously, regularly contesting Listed and Group races throughout his career, winning one such race at Sandown last season. However, he is usually found wanting at that level. Looking at his form beneath that tier paints a much brighter picture, as in class 2 races and below, his form reads 3111613, with his handicap record being 113. Simply put, if he is given a winnable opportunity, he usually goes close at the very least. That most recent handicap third came off a mark of 103 last September, but he is only off 98 now. The four-year-old performed with plenty of credit at York latest and looks very likely to feature.Should you be looking for one in the big one as well, Coltrane is fancied to go very well in the Goodwood Cup (3.35). He is rapidly improving and can upset the established order.
Today’s Racing
Joe Eccles – Kimngrace, World Pool EBF Fillies’ Handicap
My strongest bet on Goodwood’s day one card comes in the 6f fillies handicap where KIMNGRACE looks good value to return to winning ways. Richard Hughes’ charge was a course and distance winner on her penultimate start and bumped into the classy Sandbeck at Haydock subsequently, the front two pulling clear of the remainder. She’s up 5lb for that but Ryan Moore now takes over in the saddle and in her current vein of form, with the promise of more to come back over this track and trip, she’s difficult to oppose.
Tom Aldridge – Stradivarius, Goodwood Cup
My strongest bet has to be STRADIVARIUS in the Goodwood Cup. Yes, he may have lost out to Kyprios in the Gold Cup last time out, but everyone could see Frankie had given him a poor ride that day. If Dettori moved him off the rail earlier on, he would’ve had a clearer path when making his effort. Because of that, he’s been jocked off and replaced by Andrea Atzeni. I’m still undecided on whether that was the right move, but Atzeni has been on board for two of his four Goodwood Cup victories so you can see why they’ve sided with him.I’m confident the return to Goodwood (where he has a 100% record) will see him to best effect and John & Thady Gosden’s staying star can land an unprecedented fifth victory in the race, confirming his status as one of racing’s greats!
Rob Plumbridge – Crystal Caprice,Coral Beaten-By-A-Length Free Bet Fillies’ Handicap
The master Sir Michael Stoute looks to have found a superb opportunity to unleash the rapidly improving filly CRYSTAL CAPRICE on handicap debut. This horse was an emphatic winner last time out in a maiden at Yarmouth and looks like a typical one for the yard. She looked a really nice filly the last day and the promise of so much more to come should see her winning better races than this in the future. I expect her to run a big race here for powerful connections and the Frankel filly is one to keep an eye on.
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