Thursday's Meetings Stratford N/H 7 Races 1:30-5:00p.m. Nottingham Flat 7 Races 1:40-5:10p.m. Glorious Goodwood Flat 7 Races 1:50-5:20p.m. Galway Festival Mixed 8 Races 2:00-5:59p.m. Ffos Las(E) Flat 7 Races 5:35-8:45p.m. Epsom Downs(E) Flat 6 Races 5:45-8:30p.m. Racecards At The Races Racing Post Sporting Life Good Luck
The trainer to follow in the first two races at Goodwood may be Richard Hannon. Whilst the Richmond Stakes is competitive numerically, it is very easy to eliminate almost half of them, and Coventry Stakes runner-up THREAT should not find himself in the wrong group today (Guildsman third, Golden Horde fifth). The Ballydoyle first string, King Neptune was behind Guildsman in the July Stakes but that looks suspect form with the runner-up and the beaten odds-on favourite trounced in the Vintage Stakes. We know that Mark Johnston likes a winner at Goodwood, so I am expecting that Victory Command may be sent to make all in the opener by Franny Norton, although I think the handicapper has him now. Irish raider Wargrave may contest that lead, so this could be run at a pace. Forest Of Dean has not run since finishing behind Sinjaari, and the Haggas first string drops back in trip after a poor effort at Royal Ascot. The Haggas second string Dalaalaat gets weight from everyone but steps up two furlongs after winning an ordinary Chelmsford heat. WALKINTHESAND finally got back in the winner’s enclosure last time (Korcho second) and has the class to win this giving weight all round – if Moore can finally get one right! The Nassau looks a lot more open than the betting would suggest but Ballydoyle favourites are never generously priced and Hermosa may be a tough nut to crack as the only one of the elders with a good chance is Rawdaa, whose Royal Ascot second was subsequently boosted by Veracious and I Can Fly but let down by winner Move Swiftly. It is very easy to crab the Prix de Diane winner Channel as a blanket could have covered the first six and she has never raced on anything but easy ground. Frankie has deserted Rawdaa to ride Mehdaayih, strongly fancied when well behind her stablemate in the Oaks and winner of an ordinary Group 2 in France last time. MAQSAD clearly did not handle the camber or stay in the Oaks, drops back to ten furlongs here and the obvious negative is Crowley – rarely wins for me!
Morning 2.35 Galway-Zero Ten @ 11-4 [Bet 365] Would not be the first horse to win at this festival more than than once in the same week
Bruyere 3 25 Nottingham, this has been withdrawn from a few races recently on the day, presumably due to going conditions, it's heavy at Notts, been gambled down to 4/1 , Winston rides , yard in good form,
A couple in the Galway Hurdle. Gardens of Babylon 9/1 for young Joseph and Garo de Juliey at 50/1 (ew first 7 places). Dragon Command and Alfie Solomons in the later races at Goodwood. Good luck all.
I watched him the last day and was very underwhelmed by some of his jumping. That will come under much closer scrutiny today against some more experienced jumpers.
A very competitive race, The Nassau looks. Dual Guineas winner Hermosa has every right to be favourite, and thanks presumably to her Coronation Stakes defeat, the market has given favourite backers a chance. 2/1 is a fair price. That said, I’m not sure I really want to be taking on Gosden and Dettori in a race like this - especially as the former is imo the best trainer of a filly since Henry Cecil went to the rose garden in the sky. It’s possible to make a case for just about everything else in the race, at very attractive odds. Michael Stoute is often the go to guy in such circumstances, and his patience with his charges is frequently borne out by the improvement he gets from older horses. Rawdaa makes plenty appeal as an e/w punt - and that head second to Lah Ti Dar at York isn’t bad form either.
The Galway Hurdle has (as Sir Barney would say) more plots than an Agatha Christie novel with just 15lbs separating the 20 runners. The two McManus owned 4 year olds in the field get 5lbs weight for age and both ought to be in the shake up, but with O'Keeffe taking 5lbs off Gardens Of Babylon I can see him faring slightly better of the two. Willie throws a few darts at it and one assumes Paul Townend had the pick and chose Shanning over the others. The one I find interesting is Sayo, third in last year's Triumph and not seen since. It would be a masterful training performance by the GOAT if he can come back and win this. Minefield of a race for punters and Gardens Of Babylon is just a tentative e/w selection.
13 years to the day since Ouija Board won the Nassau and spawned the pseudonym of the forum's favourite all-weather tipster. Definitely worth an extra splash of G in the G and T today
Goodwood selections for today... 1:50 - Walkinthesand 2:25 - Threat 3:00 - Spanish Mission 3:35 - Mehdaayih 4:10 - Toro Strike 4:45 - Al Dawodiya 5:20 - Alfie Solomons Good luck to all who do play, I havn't yet...
