Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
The highlight of this Saturday comes from Goodwood. It’s their big meeting of the year, and this beautiful Sussex course is seen at its very best in the late July sunshine.
👉 Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets For New Customers at Bet365
Termed Glorious Goodwood, it is no exaggeration, and the five contests being shown on ITV Racing are of the highest quality, with a Group 2, a Group 3 and three top-class handicaps, including the Stewards Cup Heritage Handicap. It’s racing at its very best.
ITV are also televising a Listed race from Newmarket and the Class 2 Summer Cup Handicap from Thirsk to make up the seven races for their popular ITV7. So some great racing for everyone to enjoy this week, and here are my thoughts along with this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.50 Goodwood. Align The Stars
3.35 Goodwood. Far Above Dream
4.10 Goodwood. We’re Goosers
2.08 Thirsk. Northern Express
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
Beginning with the first race on the Goodwood card, the 1.50 the Highclare Castle Gin Summer Handicap, a Class 2 race run over 1m 6f. Top weight here is Andrew Balding’s Tarriance, who won three times last season but has not been firing this term after moving into Group company. He drops back to handicaps in the hope of a change of fortune but has plenty of weight.
The current favourite is John and Thady Gosden’s Valedictory, who has won on his last two outings, both over this distance, last time at Newmarket this month and prior to that here at Goodwood in May. He looks the one to beat.
Joseph O’Brien has sent two runners over from Ireland, Aeronautic and Small Fry. Aeronautic was last seen when running 4th over this distance at Royal Ascot, where he had several of the opponents he meets once again behind him. A bold run is expected.
Small Fry is down near the bottom of the handicap, but he won a Class 2 at Epsom in June last year. This term, he ran a fair 6th at Royal Ascot in a 2m 4f race. He drops back in trip and could possibly spring a surprise off his low weight. An each-way bet looks a good choice.
But I like Charlie Johnson’s Align The Stars, who has prepared for this race with two wins on the all-weather this season, latterly at Newcastle in June over 2 miles. He is ready to take this.
The big betting race of the day is at 3.35, the Coral Stewards Cup. This Class 2 Heritage Handicap is run over 6 furlongs. The current favourite for this race is James Owen’s Far Above Dream, who ran a fine 4th at Royal Ascot. Prior to that run, he won twice in May, once at Newbury and once here at Goodwood. This was his third win at the Sussex track, making him justifiably the favourite here. He needs a favourable draw.
James Owen also has the top weight with Soldier’s Tree, who won at Dundalk in January and, since then, has been placed on all four of his starts in top-class company. He can be placed again despite his weight.
Ed Walker’s Northern Champion won at Chester three weeks ago in a Listed race after finishing 9th in a Group 1 at Royal Ascot, but he is high in the weights with his 6lbs penalty for that win.
Hugo Palmer’s Dubai Bling is another racing with a 6lbs penalty after winning a Class 2 at Ascot earlier this month, beating several he meets once again here. He has a stiff task under his penalty.
Richard Spencer’s Two Tribes won this race last year, but he has 5lbs more to carry this time around. He wintered in the Middle East and won at Meydan in January, but since then has been unsuccessful. His best run was last time out at Ascot last week when he finished second. Has he come good at the right time?
Ollie Sangster’s Tuco Salamanca won at Newcastle in June following on from a win at Kempton in March. He has been set up for this race and can hit the frame.
My big outsider is David O’Meara’s Toca Madera who won at Doncaster in June. He ran here at Goodwood on Tuesday and finished a good 4th in a 23-runner event. He can be placed at a high price, but it’s Far Above Dream for me.
At 4.10 it is the Phase Eight Handicap. This is a Class 2 race for 3-year-olds run over 7 furlongs. Top weight is Wild Desert, trained by Charlie Appleby, who won as a 2-year-old but ran poorly at Newmarket earlier this month in a Listed race. That was his only outing this year.
Andrew Balding’s Ghost Mode won at Southwell in March but has shown very little in four outings since.
Karl Burke’s Naval Light has won two Class 4s at Pontefract and Catterick since May. More is required.
Richard Hughes’s Startled won twice earlier in the season then ran a fine second here at Goodwood in May. He was badly drawn at Chester last time out, and that run can be forgiven. He can be in the shake-up.
I give a second chance to Hugo Palmer’s We’re Goosers, who after winning at Newmarket in May went off favourite for the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot in June and finished last of the 30 runners. I take it that the problem he had that day has been overcome and he will bounce back here.
For the final leg of the Lucky Fifteen I go to Thirsk and the 2.08 the William Hill Summer Cup Handicap. This Class 2 race is run over one mile. The favourite here is Ed Walker’s Jeddaal at the bottom of the handicap. He won a Class4 at Catterick in April and then a Class 2 at Chester in June.
Walker states his horse does not want the ground too fast, so will hope for rain in North Yorkshire.
Top weight is Roger Varian’s Fondo Blanco, who won at Haydock last September. His only run this year was at Royal Ascot in a Class 2 where he finished 21st out of 28 runners.
Kevin de Foy’s Mr Swivell ran a good second at York in a Class 2 three weeks ago. That was probably the best run of his career, and if he keeps up that form, he can go close.
David O’Meara’s Mirsky won here at Thirsk in May, his second win at the course. He ran disappointingly at Sandown earlier this month after running a reasonable 7th in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Ascot in June. I expect him to be placed.
I just prefer Michael Dods’ Northern Express, who won at York earlier this month in a 17-runner Class 3. He is a past winner at this track and just gets the nod over Mirsky.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.50 Goodwood. Align The Stars
3.35 Goodwood. Far Above Dream
4.10 Goodwood. We’re Goosers
2.08 Thirsk. Northern Express
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
Related Reading
