VIP GOODWOOD DAY ONE 1.20 - JOLLY JACK TAR 6/1 - 0.5 EW - SIR BUSKER 25/1 - 0.5 EW A very tricky looking opener with 18 runners to start the day. JOLLY JACK TAR will make his turf debut for the Gosdens with William Buick booked - arrives, like most on the back of a win. That came at Chelmsford in a relatively deep handicap and he won that assertively with his best performance to date. Improvement is anticipated with top jockey booked. Secondly I’m taking a chance on the old boy SIR BUSKER. Although you have to go back four years for a win at Ascot for this horse - he arrives 4lb lower than his last winning mark of the back of his best run in over a year when second at Sandown. He’s clearly got a bit left in the tank and looks a big price today. He’s the oldest horse in the race but deserves his place in the line up. Won a similar profiled handicap to this nearly a year ago to the date. 1.55 - ZAVATERI 13/2 - 0.5 EW - DO OR DO DO NOT 10/1 - 0.5 EW We will be gutted if HUMIDITY wins this - we backed the horse at Ascot and he won well from the front. I’m not sure that tactic will work here and he could end up becoming the target for the rest of the line up to aim at. This is a step up in class for most - The favourite is DORSET - the O Brien trained 2 year old who is 15/8 for the race. Who knows how good this one actually is - he won at Curragh recently and was second in behind AMADUES MOZART (O BRIEN Weapon) on debut. I think some of the best form here is with DO OR DO NOT. He proved that his second place at Ascot in the Coventry stakes was no fluke (came in at 80/1 behind the impressive GSTAAD) - this was followed up by a second place in behind ZAVATERI in the July Stakes at Newmarket. I think the unbeaten ZAVATERI is overpriced and should be nearer the favs. At 13/2 this one looks a decent bet to me as the yard will look to maintain the unbeaten record today. Clearly more to come from this one and the step up in trip should unlock further improvement today. 2.30 - JONQUIL 10/3 - 1 point win - QUINALT 28/1 - 0.5 EW QUINALT might be held at this level but at the price I will take a chance EW on him. He arrives on the back of a York G3 win so we can assume is in good form. Should have no problems acting on the good ground as he’s just bolted up at York on it. Will need a good start - likes to do his business from the front. He’s well drawn to do so today! Both the favs in the marker are drawn quite wide in stalls 11 and 10 for this race. Oisin Murphy will ride JONQUIL who drops from G1 company after failing to fire in the G1 commonwealth at Ascot. He won the Greenham stakes at Newbury previous to this and is probably the rightful fav for this race considering KINROSS is arguably in his twilight years at this point. AUDIENCE won this race for us last year but hard to fancy on recent form. With that said - they will be silly to give this horse an early lead as he will be difficult to peg back. He won this from the front in style last year but hasn’t even ran close subsequently. 3.05 - ILLINOIS 13/8 - 1 point win - DUBAI FUTURE 22/1 - 0.5 ew I’m struggling to get past ILLINOIS here. Moore has chosen the Gallileo colt over G3 winning SCANDANAVIA who bolted up at Newmarket earlier in the month. That run from SCANDANAVIA was arguably one of the most impressive of the meet, but looking back at that race - he didn’t really have much to beat! ILLINOIS form has been boosted massively by AL QAREEMS recent York exploits - looking back at that Chester race and theres been multiple winners come from it since. I think 2 miles is the perfect trip for the horse. The rest in the line up are proven stayers at this level and most have raced each other multiple times. It was DUBAI FUTURE who finished best of this lot in the Gold Cup at Ascot when 3rd in behind ILLINOIS and TRAWLERMAN. He’s nearly treble the price of SWEET WILLIAM who he beat by 5 lengths LTO. For me the overpriced horse in the line up. 3.45 - SHAGRAAN 15/2 - 0.5 EW - ENCHANTING 14/1 - 0.5 EW
