Glorious Goodwood focuses on speed and stamina on Friday, with the longest race, the Goodwood Handicap, opening the card and the shortest Group race, the King George Qatar stakes, headlining it.
Matty Sutcliffe has selections in both contests on Friday. He has six tips in all to follow on day four of the Glorious meeting.
Goodwood Racing Tips (Friday 31 July 2026)
The Goodwood Festival continues onto its fourth day on Friday. Here are Matty’s six selections, featuring 33/1 and 40/1 shots and a 2pt win NAP at a decent price.
13:50 Goodwood – Coral Goodwood Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-105) – Kentucky River 14/1 1pt EW 5 places
Kentucky River hasn’t been seen on the level since a seven length demolition at Pontefract last August, prior to being sold for 110,000 GNS to go hurdling with Olly Murphy.
His jumping career got off to a poor start, looking anything but a natural and not coping with soft ground. However, once stepped up to 2m4f on good ground, he was a comfortable well backed winner at Huntingdon in April. A lesser effort followed, but he bounced back quickly at Warwick in June to beat a subsequent winner.
His penultimate effort on the flat came when second to Belgravian at Doncaster last July, who won twice since now rated 23lbs higher. He looks well handicapped back in this code in that respect, and given he’s a half brother to the 2014 Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist, a mark of 81 along with Jack Nicholls’ 5lbs claim could see him go very well over this marathon distance.
15:00 Goodwood – Coral Golden Mile (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo+) – Godwinson 40/1 0.5pt EW 5 places + Ancient Rome 33/1 0.5pt EW 5 places
Connections won this with Johan at 25/1 in 2023 and you’d have to imagine that this has been the plan for Godwinson, who was also a former Lincoln Handicap winner and previously in the hands of William Haggas.
The son of Saxon Warrior has been off the boil since following up his Lincoln success with a win at Newcastle last June, subsequently struggling off high marks. He’s never been involved from rear on his first two starts for Jack Channon this season, but there was some promise to take out of his effort in the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot.
He made some headway from rear on the unfavourable far-side, beaten eight lengths but only a head behind Holloway Boy, who was second in Group 2 company next time out and a listed winner since.
He obviously has to step up on what we’ve seen thus far, but he’s dropped to a workable mark of 98 and given he’s already a course and distance winner, he cannot be discounted to bounce back.
I’d also like to chance Ancient Rome, who I strongly fancied for the Chesterfield Cup last season but he could never get into contention after slipping on the bend.
He’s another who requires faith, but also looks to have been targeted for the race and has dropped to a mark that he cannot go unbacked off. He took the 2023 Chesterfield Cup off a 16lbs higher mark on yard debut, following that up with G3 success at Keeneland.
That was his last win, but returning to a suitable track off a mark in the 80s for the first time bodes well and he has to be considered to bounce back here.
15:35 Goodwood – King George Qatar Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (3yo+) – Jm Jungle 10/1 1pt EW 3 places
Winless since his neck success here, Jm Jungle’s season looks to have been tailored around this contest and has to be considered on the back of his promising effort at York last time out.
The Bungle Inthejungle gelding won the three-year-old sprint handicap at this meeting in 2023, and progressed through the handicapping ranks thereafter. He took the Symphony Handicap at York’s Ebor meeting, prior to Portland third in 2024.
Having peaked at a mark of 101 in handicaps following last year’s Dash success, his first foray into pattern contest saw him finish third in the Listed City Walls Stakes at York prior to taking this race next time out.
He ran to an RPR of 108 at York, and bettered that in this year’s renewal when a half a length third. That followed on from a three length defeat in the King Charles III Stakes, so he’s evidently coming to the boil and he’s likely to be primed for a repeat of last year’s success.
16:10 Goodwood – Regent Seven Seas Cruises Bentinck Conditions Stakes (Class 2) (4yo+) – Jonquil 11/2 2pt WIN
Andrew Balding won this last season and bids to follow up with Jonquil, who wouldn’t have qualified for this contest had he won the Celebration Mile here a week later.
The Lope De Vega colt had some strong form as a three year old, landing the Greenham before beaten a head in the French 2000 Guineas. He bounced back to form with a neck success in the Group 2 Celebration Mile here last August, getting up late on the line.
He made a winning seasonal debut in a Queen Anne Trial at Ascot in very good style, beating Holloway Boy by over a length who’s franked that form since, as has the third Remmooz who landed a French Group 3 next time out.
He was took keen in rear in both the Queen Anne and the Summer Mile Stakes since, but I’d imagine they will revert to prominent tactics here and given he’s essentially a solid Group 2 performer on his day, he should be very tough to beat in this conditions stakes back at this winning track.
17:55 Goodwood – British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Handicap (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-105) – Zgharta 5/1 1pt WIN
Zgharta was a huge eye-catcher in a 0-95 fillies handicap at this meeting last season, denied a run on multiple occasions before finishing strongly for fifth late on. That followed a solid run in the Sandringham and while she hasn’t matched those bits of form since, she bounced back to form at Chester last time out when a length fourth.
She wasn’t the sharpest away and raced in rear throughout, but she finished strongly down the outside as did Infraad, who franked that form here on Wednesday. She was dropped a pound for that effort which now reads well, and this may have been the seasonal plan.
Matthew Sutcliffe’s Tips for Friday 31 July
13:50 Goodwood – Coral Goodwood Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-105) – Kentucky River 14/1 1pt EW 5 places
15:00 Goodwood – Coral Golden Mile (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo+) – Godwinson 40/1 0.5pt EW 5 places + Ancient Rome 33/1 0.5pt EW 5 places
15:35 Goodwood – King George Qatar Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (3yo+) – Jm Jungle 10/1 1pt EW 3 places
16:10 Goodwood – Regent Seven Seas Cruises Bentinck Conditions Stakes (Class 2) (4yo+) – Jonquil 11/2 2pt WIN
17:55 Goodwood – British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Handicap (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-105) – Zgharta 5/1 1pt WIN
FAQs
What are today’s racing tips?
Matthew Sutcliffe provides his best bets at Goodwood on Friday 31 July.
When were Matthew Sutcliffe’s tips published?
Matty Sutcliffe’s racing tips were published at 10.15am on Thursday 30 July.
Who is Matthew Sutcliffe?
Matthew Sutcliffe is GGs newest contributor, often providing a value angle for his tips. He writes weekly columns for the weekend’s racing, as well as taking aim at ante-post markets at the Cheltenham Festival. Follow him on X: @MattySutcliffe
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