Glorious Goodwood – Day 1 Preview

Glorious Goodwood is upon us as the compacted top-quality action continues to come our way. This is always a fantastic week of action as it runs in parallel with the Galway festival in Ireland. Youth Spirit could be the answer in the Vintage Stakes, with Sir Dancealot and Stradivarius both bidding to defend their crowns in the Lennox Stakes and Goodwood Cup respectively.

Goodwood Handicap

Fifth Position has been running well all season and put in a career-best to finish third in the John Smith’s Cup at York ten days ago. He runs off the same mark here and if that race didn’t take too much of a toll he rates as a danger to all. Amanda Perrett’s You’re Hired has looked better than ever this year, romping home on seasonal debut, and then he ran well in a decent handicap at Epsom. He’s run very well at Goodwood on all bar one of his runs and even though he faces a career-high mark, he’ll be in the mix. Another course winner to consider is Cape Cavalli who was a snug winner at York earlier in the month and should improve as the season progresses, being by Cape Cross.

Selection: You’re Hired

Vintage Stakes

I don’t know if there is anything in the field with the class of last year’s winner Pinatubo but there are some appealing sorts all the same. The “form” horse in the race is Devious Company from the out of form (0-29 last 14 days) Tom Dascombe team.

The son of Fast Company was 2-2 going into the Group 2 Superlative Stakes and only found Master Of The Seas too good. That is by far and away the strongest piece of form on offer and makes him the one to beat. 

Youth Spirit finished behind Devious Company on debut but quickly made amends by winning at Newmarket. He’s having just his third run here and may turn the tables with his better-fancied rival. Coventry Stakes 4th Dark Lion got his head in front on the third attempt but looked like a suspect stayer and may be better when dropped back in trip.

Selection: Youth Spirit

Lennox Stakes

This looks like a very competitive renewal of the Lennox Stakes with dual winner Sir Dancealot the logical starting point. David Elsworth’s charge has won the last two runnings of the race. He ran very well when finishing mid-division in the Group 1 July Cup and this race will undoubtedly have been his seasonal target. Safe Voyage is a bit of a seven-furlong specialist and looked as good as ever when winning a listed race at Epsom earlier in the month, while course winner Duke Of Hazzard and the rapidly improving Space Blues are others to consider.

Selection: Sir Dancealot

Goodwood Cup Stakes

Stradivarius is looking for a fourth straight victory in the race and in truth, it’s hard to envisage him not completing the four-timer. He’s been the standout long-distance horse for the past few seasons and demolished his rivals when last seen in the Ascot Gold Cup at the Royal meeting. The next best in on ratings is Nayef Road but he was ten lengths behind Stradivarius at Ascot and it’s impossible to see him reversing the form. Of the others, Eagles By Day traveled well when winning on debut for the David O’Meara team and is an interesting contender while the only three-year-old in the field Santiago, won the Irish Derby when last seen and in all likelihood will be the biggest danger to the favourite.

Selection: Stradivarius

Qatar Handicap

The speedsters bring the action on ITV screens to a close in this competitive handicap. Celsius will be one of the better-fancied horses in a race where you’ll need luck on your side. Tom Clover’s inmate won his first handicap of 58 around this time last season and has since gone on to win a total of four races and boasts a mark of 91. He was a short-head winner over course and distance and can still win of this sort of mark. The perennial Final Venture has gone three years without a win but is still showing plenty of sparkle and wasn’t beaten far at Ascot two weeks ago. He’s dropped to a mark of 99 which is very tempting and will be bang there. A Momentofmadness is another horse that’s started to look well handicaped given that he’s six-pounds lower than his last winning mark and shouldn’t be underestimated.

Selection: Final Venture