4.15 Goodwood
Yorkshire Relish 10/1
You've got to hope that stall 19 will be the right side or won't be an inconvenience and if that isn't a factor and if suited by the course I think Kevin Ryan's Yorkshire Relish is in line to run a big race on handicap debut off a mark of 80. Having made an encouraging debut over 6f at Newcastle at the start of June when beaten a little over 2L in 4th (turned out to be a very poor maiden), Yorkshire Relish clearly put that experience to great use when very well backked to land a valuable seller (nearly 8k for winner) in good style by nearly 3L later that month in a race that isn't bad form. Always just off the pace, Yorkshire Relish travelled comfortably for the most part and when driven by Philip Makin inside of the couple of furlongs Yorkshire Relish drew clear inside the final furlong and was well on top at the finish. The 3rd home Rosebay Coral came into the contest with some strong form and has run respectably in a handicap off a mark of 72 subsequently whilst the 4th Latenightrequest was successful on handicap debut off a mark of 68 and given that Yorkshire Relish was comfortably better than the rest of the field a mark of 80 looks very reasonable on handicap debut. Yorkshire Relish has had another run since when finishing a highly respectable 7th in the Super Sprint 13 days ago (carrying 8-3) in what was a very interesting run. Under Silvestre De Sousa, Yorkshire Relish was under full driving a full 3.5f out over the minimum which was telling to how much this usual strong traveller was struggling to go the pace but he did pick up for the pressure and having been hampered slightly inside the final furlong SDS eased off a bit in the closing stages as he finish a highly respectable 7th beaten a little over 5L. If SDS had driven him out until the line, he probably would have finished 5th but looking at what those around him achieved prior to that race it makes a mark of 80 look on the lenient side in my eyes. Given that he clearly struggled to go the pace early on a blisteringly run race LTO, Yorkshire Relish will definitely appreciate the step back up to 6f and hopefully stall 19 will be the right place to be on the track. Jamie Spencer looks a very interesting booking given that I think he'll suit the style of Yorkshire Relish really well and I hope Spencer settles his mount slightly off what is likely to be a very quick pace. A horse who is entered up in 3 valuable Sales Races later in the year, I definitely feel a mark of 80 underestimates his potential and with Kevin Ryan continuing his good form hopefully he can land this very competitive race at a decent price.
