I'm on Ghurair for this 2yo race. Looks the best 7f form by any 2yo so far and although a tough race I think he'll improve for that first outing. Comes from the smart Alouette (dam of Albanova and Alborada, and closely related to Aussie Rules, Alleluia and Last Second) family and there can be few better bred horses in this race. Also like Meehan's 2yo filly, Flywheel, in the maiden. He usually runs good animals in this race. Half sister to the 2010 Railway Stakes winner Formasina, and plenty of speed in the bottom half of the pedigree: 6f should suit.
2.00 Goodwood Cloudy Spirit 18/1 Rather like Reg Hollinshead's unexposed stayer Cloudy Spirit who I think looks rather overpriced at 18/1. To date, Cloudy Spirit has only had 6 starts on the flat and is 2-2 in handicaps winning twice over 2m2f. Her last win came back in May 2 starts back off a mark of 72 at York when winning by a neck with the front two drawing 8L clear of the remainder. Its very interesting that Orsippus finished 11.5L behind that day and after losing in a photograph and winning subsequently he is now 2lb worse off for that defeat yet he is a 9/1 shot. A talented hurdler rated 132, Cloudy Spirit's last start came at Royal Ascot in a Conditions race won by Simenon where Cloudy Spirit had quite a lot to do at the weights and its definitely an excusable effort. He's now rated 81 on the flat and is 9lb higher than his last win but I think he'll relish every yard of the 2m5f contest and I think he could definitely go well in this very competitive race. 3.35 Galway Black Mac 10/1 Black Mac was an extremely impressive winner on his last start over fences off a mark of 96 under front running tactics as he scored with a lot in hand to win by 8L. He's back hurdling tomorrow but the brush hurdles at Galway are slightly like small fences so I don't think he'll have too much of a problem with them. He's racing off a hurdles mark of 102 and if translating his last effort to the smaller obstacles he could prove very hard to beat. It would be great if Carberry, who unfortunately broke his shoulder, was available to take the mount as gave this 10 year old a majestic ride to victory on his last start but Davy Condon is a capable deputy and if attempting to make all I think he could prove difficult to beat on ground that shouldn't pose an issue for the in form Andrew Slattery yard. 3.45 Goodwood Willie Wag Tail 8/1 NB & Misdemeanour 20/1 Really liked the manner Willie Wag Tail won with on his last start at Kempton and as he seemed to relish the step up to todays 1m4f contest. He's had a rather impressive start to his career to date winning 2 from 4 and off only a 6lb higher mark I think he's a very live contender in this. I would be very surprised if he isn't quite a bit better then his mark of 88. Trainer Ed Walker is in cracking form at present and go to jockey William Buick takes the ride with the trainer/jockey combination yielding a perfect 5-5 record this season. He ought to be rather hard to beat. I really, really liked Misdemeanour's first two runs of her career when victorious on both occasion in very eye catching fashion. She's had 3 starts this year, running well on all 3 occasions and I think she has run well in defeat in her last two starts even though the rain softened ground was definitely against her. She gets good ground again today and I think she'll love the quicker surface. Although apparently Hannon's 2nd string on jockey bookings, I definitely think her mark of 87 isn't beyond her and at a big price I think she'll run a big race. 4.10 Galway Capal Dubh Alainn 25/1 William Coleman O'Brien's 7 year old is a horse I've been following for quite a while and although inconsistent over hurdles, he's a horse that I think has more then enough quality about him to defy his current mark of 106. He's winless since January 2010 where he scored a facile success on bottomless ground at Thurles off a mark of 95 but he's shown some pretty decent form since then. In September last year, he put up an excellent 3rd behind Bundle of Fun off a 2lb lower mark at Listowel in a race that has turned out to be very very good form with 3 NTO winners. He hasn't raced over hurdles this year and has had 2 flat runs this year, his reappearance run being an extremely good effort behind some very talented animals. He'll love the testing conditions forecast and Pierce Gallagher, who has plenty of experience riding this gelding, takes off a very handy 5lb. I'm also extremely intrigued that cheekpieces are left off for the first time since June of last year.
5.30 Goodwood Common Touch 14/1 NAP Hopefully the rain stays away as I think the key to this horse is good ground and although he's disappointed on his last couple of starts with give in the ground he is now very well handicapped and I think he's primed for a massive run. Prior to this year, Richard Fahey's 4 year old Common Touch was very progressive and had the profile of a horse who had not stopped improving and I think he can definitely resume his upward trend today. As a 2 and 3 year old, Common Touch had hardly done much wrong winning 3 times and finishing 2nd a further twice from 8 starts. After making a successful debut as a 2 year old, he was slightly disappointing on his 2nd and final 2 YO start in a handicap debut off a mark of 80 when finishing a 2L beaten 4th. Common Touch really excelled himself as a 3 year old and demonstrated how progressive an animal he was. On the back of a 7 month break, he ran a very good 0.5L beaten 2nd at Beverley off a mark of 80. In the 5 runner field, Common Touch broke well and pulled very hard early on as Paul Hanagan looked for a bit of cover. After about a furlong or so he got this cover and eventually went down narrowly in a tight finish. He lost absolutely nothing in defeat that day, especially given the winner Belle Royale has turned out to be a very progressive animal who rounded off her 3 year old campaign by winning 3 on the trot, the last impressively off a mark of 102 and the 3rd Kingscroft has also won off a 5lb higher mark. Risen 3lb for that effort, Common Touch returned to winning ways when landing a handicap at York over 7f by 1.25L. It was a very likeable effort and Common Touch saw out the trip very well and it was a tenacious and determined effort by Common Touch. Risen 5lb for this effort to a mark of 88, Common Touch demonstrated his progressive nature when running out a very impressive winner over that same C+D as his at York win 10 days earlier as he romped home by 3.25L. In the field of 14, he was settled towards the rear and he made some very good progress before pulling right away in the final 150 yards to score in eye catching fashion. After this, Common Touch was risen 9lb to a mark of 97 as he attempted to land the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot but you have to ignore that effort. There was a massive bias to the group that raced on the stands side and Common Touch was part of the group that were clearly racing on the slower part of the track. The slightly softer Good to Soft going was also not have been ideal. Common Touch had his final start as a 3 year old last July where he put in a good display to finish a 0.75L beaten 2nd over todays C+D off a mark of 95. That day, he was ridden along from a fair way out which is unlike him and he only really got going late on over the 7f trip as he made up a lot of ground late on. That race was only 0.33 seconds slower than Strong Suit's Group 2 victory the day before (although ground was probably a bit drier for this race) and the form looks good too. The winner Webbow put in a very good 1L beaten 2nd behind the very talented Eton Rifles on his next start whilst the 3rd Smarty Socks has won since off a 2lb higher mark and has put in a very good performance off a mark of 102 as well. Common Touch's fist start as a 4 year oldcame on the back of a 295 day absence and Paul Hanagan was commentating for Channel 4 that day. I got the distinct impression he liked this horse quite a bit. His last two starts this year haven't been great either. In the Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot, he looked as if he was getting into things before having his run chopped off badly and he was eased but I don't think he would have troubled the first few home that day. His last start came at York and although the official going was good a lot of jockeys said it was very sticky after the ground was drying out. He shaped with more promise on this start but he could only finish an 8L beaten 7th. He returns to Goodwood today off a mark of 90 and given his previous efforts he's clearly rather well handicapped. Paul Hanagan takes over in the saddle and I think its rather interesting that theres been a fair bit of money for him already given that he hasn't been up to much so far this year. Richard Fahey has his string in great form at present and from a good draw in stall 5 and the drop back to 7f no problems I think he's going to run a very big race and hopefully he can resume winning ways in this Class 3 event.
2.00 Goodwood. Gordonsville 18/1 Paddy Power Old timer Gordonsville keeps his form remarkably well and, on his only trip beyond two miles, ran a good third in last season's Cesarewitch Trial. Generous' sons stay really well, and he stayed on well over 14 furlongs at Haydock last time. His shrewd trainer, Jim Goldie, sends him down from Scotland and he should run a big race off a fair weight. 5.30 Goodwood. Treadwell 16/1 Various. After a great season in 2010 (winning The Buckingham Palace at Ascot), he only ran twice last year and has now slipped down 16lbs from his highest 2010 rating. He ran a good third last time at Haydock and, with a good draw, can run a big race over his best trip.
not much rain overnight up north so BPG will be pleased, get the double on boys Lucy Minaj and BPG, at gods own race course ,, sunny Redcar stay frosty
Big e/w bet on Maxentius in the 2.35 for me today. Ground was against him last time but still travelled well into the race but couldnt pick up. Im convinced this is the definition of an e/w bet to nothing.....
I very much agree reebok. I will be surprised if we are not talking Guineas favourite by the end of today.
Morning, people. Big day for our sport today as its most recognisable name, its leading light and its shining star steps foot on the Goodwood turf. I’m sure his very name on the racecard will add thousands to the gate and a wave of excitement will radiate around the racecourse when he steps into the paddock. Furthermore, I think he will train the winner of the card commencer! Two for me today. In that opener CAPE EXPRESS (2.00) who looks very well treated off a mark of 84. Has improved no end over timber in recent weeks and expect him to transfer that form onto the level in this stamina sapping heat. Meanwhile, in the following race it’s GHURAIR (2.35) for me. Looked a colt out of the top drawer on debut and in my view is Special with a capital ‘S’. My regular readers may detect a sense of bullish re my ramblings this morn and may inform them that the old double re this pair pays, at the moment, 20/1. Good luck all.
good luck with your ante post bet but i think the smart bet would be wiggins shaving his boards off for next years tour.
3 bets sPread arooooound today-----GAL PLATE----OUT NOW LEIC--RIO COBLO GOOD-NAFAATH-------------ALL PLACE AND WIN
Valiant Girl 4.55 Why is this Ghurair such a good thing today? Won a class 4 maiden at HQ on soft, none of the top 5 behind have run since, the 7th has since scraped home in a class 6 maiden on the sand. Am I missing something in that piece of form? Against him today we have the Chesham winner in Tha'ir and a G2 winning Richard Hannon colt. For me he is too short at 2/1.
Morning - I note a lot of support for Ghurair on here - I've opposed it and backed Olympic Glory. Good luck all
Oddy - Although I'm in complete agreement re the hype around Ghurair the 4th (Alfonso De Sousa) of the O'Brien team has come out and won by 9 lengths or something silly like that in a maiden in IRE. Whether that is decent or not, I don't know. I'd be all over Olympic Glory if I were betting!
Namned I somehow missed the Alfonso De Sousa form - must be getting senile. But tbh those he beat in that Leopardstown race hardly looked world beaters. The 2nd, Angela's Dream, is officially rated 78.
Good morning gents... I see the punters are not being put off the odds for Frankel... 1/14 - 1/16 - NOW 1/20... Frankel... To win by 10 or more lengths...7/2 - 11/4 - now 9/4 To win by 8 or more lengths... 5/2 - 9/4 - now 6/4 To win by 5 or more lengths... 4/5 - 4/6 - now 4/9 I think its a case of sit back and watch this wonder horse and forget the money...
Two bets for me today-Blackstairmountain to win the big won at galway and the nicely named wille wag tail to win the 3.45 at goodwood.
Don't get the confidence behind Ghurair. I hope he wins for those that have got stuck in but these 2 y old races are very tough to predict at this level.
GHURAIR is class. You will see later. This is a guineas horse and I will be shocked if he doesnt put this bunch to the sword.
Whodoyathink ew in the Galway Plate Cape Express in the first Willie Wag Tail in the 3.45 Chigun in the fillies' handicap <stillnozensmiley>
