Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
Glorious Goodwood takes centre stage on ITV Racing this Saturday with five races being featured from the West Sussex track.
The highlight of the day is the Stewards’ Cup, the annual cavalry charge of 28 runners along 6 furlongs of the Sussex Downs is a sight to behold, and I have summarised the race below. This race is backed up by two other Class 2 handicaps, a Group 2 and a Group 3. So a thrilling afternoon’s racing is promised.
Complementary to the Goodwood card, there are also two races being shown from the July course at Newmarket, and these feature a Class 2 Nursery handicap and the Listed Chalice Stakes.
So, a Saturday afternoon of classy racing to look forward to, and here are my thoughts and this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Goodwood Lucky Fifteen
1.55 Dancing In Paris
2.30 Sueno
3.05 Hammer The Hammer
3.45 Consolidation
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
Beginning the Goodwood Lucky Fifteen with the 1.55, the Coral Summer Handicap is a Class 2 contest run over 1m 6f. There is an Irish raider here who is one of the favourites, Joseph O’Brien’s Aeronautic. He was last seen at Ascot in June, where he finished a creditable 5th. He had previously run poorly at the Curragh the month before.
William Haggas’s Sam Hawkins lurks near the bottom of the handicap after a couple of good wins in Class 3 races. This is tougher, but he may be placed.
Local trainer David Menuisier’s Master Builder was a well beaten 4th here at Goodwood in May. I think he is running more in hope than expectation.
Roger Varian’s French Duke is well fancied after winning here at Goodwood last season. He had a prep run at Ascot last month, finishing 8th. A big improvement is required to feature here once again.
I like Ian Williams’s Dancing In Paris, who ran consistently well, winning on three occasions last season. He has been upped in class this term and ran a very good 3rd over this course and distance in May, going down by just half a length. He was then beaten a neck at Newcastle, then in July he ran too freely at Newmarket when going off favourite. If he’s ridden with a little more restraint, he can get his season back on track.
The 2.30 is the Qatar Lily Langtry Stakes, a Class 2 race run over a mile, where last year’s winner, William Haggas’s Term Of Endearment, returns to try and retain her crown. But she has failed to show last year’s form and in early July was tried in a Listed company at Sandown but finished last of four after going off favourite.
Owen Burrows’s Waardah easily won a Listed race here at Goodwood in June. She also gets the 10lbs age allowance, but on the minus side, this race is two furlongs less than her last effort.
Joseph O’Brien’s Goody Two Shoes has won two Listed races and a Grade 3 already this season at Gowran Park, Down Royal and Fairyhouse. She is moving through the grades, and this race is part of her upward trajectory.
The Gosdens have two in this Danielle, who is having her first run of the season, and Sueno, who has been placed in her last two Class 1 runs, and she is my selection to see off the Irish challenger.
At 3.05 it is the big betting race of the week, the Coral Stewards’ Cup, this Class 2 Heritage Handicap is run over 6 furlongs. Goodwood is an undulating course and is nothing like the straight course at Ascot, for instance. Unfortunately, I have not yet had sight of the draw, but over recent seasons the top half has been favoured. However, those in Stalls 1 to 4 have also been successful in the last 10 years.
George Baker’s Get It made all to win this last season and has won over this distance at Ascot in May and June, including the Wokingham. He has 4lbs more to carry this year, and while there are better handicapped horses in the race, don’t rule him out.
William Haggas’s Elmonjed won at York last Saturday but has a 6lbs penalty for that win. However, he is super fit. It remains to be seen if he copes with this quirky track.
Jennie Candish’s Alzahir has won five times this season over distances ranging from 5 to 7 furlongs. He ran a fair 8th behind Elmonjed last week.
Harry Charlton’s Completely Random started the season with a couple of victories and ran well to finish 5th in the Wokingham. He has been aiming at this since that run in June.
Richard Spencer’s Twilight Calls has been running without success in Group races and was also 11th in the Wokingham after being slowly away. He is better than that.
I was impressed with Roberts Cowell’s Jakajaro run here at Goodwood on Tuesday when he made headway in the final furlong. He needs to stay closer to the pace, and he may be placed.
My preference is for Kevin Ryan’s Hammer The Hammer, who won at Chester at their May meeting, then ran a fine second at Royal Ascot over the sharp 5 furlongs. A good draw and a fair wind could see him be successful.
I will also mention Richard Spencer’s Commanche Falls, who won this in 2021 and 2022. His best run this season was a second at Hamilton in June, but he may run into a place at a nice price.
Finally, the 3.45 is the Whispering Angel Handicap, a Class 2 race for 3-year-olds run over 7 furlongs. Richard Spencer’s Yah Mo Be There won a Listed race last season and has been running in Group 1 and 3 races this term, but this is no penalty kick for this classy individual.
James Ferguson’s Montpellier won a couple of Class 4s earlier this season, then ran second in a Class 3. This is tougher.
John and Thady Gosden run Mudbir, who was last seen winning at Sandown in early July. He is upped in class here.
William Haggas’s Headmaster was runner-up on two occasions, then finally got his head in front at Haydock in mid-July in a Class 4. He will find a better class of opponent here.
I think the answer lies with Ralph Beckett, who has two runners, Consolidation and El Matador. Consolidation won over this course and distance in a Class 3 in May, then ran 10th at Royal Ascot when drawn on the ‘wrong’ side. He was 3rd in his group.
El Matador has won a couple of low-grade races at Salisbury and Chepstow, but this top-rated contest may come too soon for him. So, Consolidation is my selection.
Saturday Goodwood Lucky Fifteen
1.55 Dancing In Paris
2.30 Sueno
3.05 Hammer The Hammer
3.45 Consolidation
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
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