Daily Racing Thread Thursday 31st. July 2025

Thursday's Meetings

Glorious Goodwood
Flat 8 Races 1:20-5:30p.m.
Galway Festival
Mixed 8 Races 2:10-6:10p.m.
Nottingham
Flat 6 Races 2:18-5:15p.m.
Wolverhampton(E)
A/W 7 Races 5:45-8:45p.m.
Epsom(E)
Flat 6 Races 5:50-8:30p.m

Racecards
At The Races
Sporting Life
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Good Luck

 

What time is the Shoulda Woulda Coulda handicap at Goodwood today please..

 

1.20 or 3.45 or 4.20 or 5.30?

A 5/2 favourite off top weight in the 18 runner opener for three year olds but it is Timeform top rated.

The sprint at 3.45 will empty your wallet quickly. I am sure the bookies will be offering five or six places.

Just eleven in the nursery at 4.20 but most are on handicap debut.

Twenty in the 5.30 and you can expect the price of Timeform top rated Sea Force to collapse as it was ‘an unlucky loser’ last time from the Haggas yard.

 

After yesterday’s latest episode of brain dead midgets riding horses, surely the play in the Nassau Stakes and the Gordon Stakes is to back the outsiders, so Running Lion to floor Whirl and Too Soon to floor Merchant, anyone?

I would not touch any of the last four races at Inglorious Goodwood and the three pattern races look avoidable too.

There is always a small field for the Gordon Stakes (2.30), one of the main St Leger trials, so not surprising that just seven line up. After his easy handicap win at Ascot, Timeform top rated Merchant is a short-priced favourite to continue the improvement following in the footsteps of last year’s St Leger winner. Ballydoyle representative Galveston was third in the King Edward VII Stakes and will need to up his game here. Wimbledon Hawkeye was behind Galveston at Ascot and subsequently was beaten by an ex-handicapper at Newmarket. Rahiebb was third in the Queen’s Vase (Too Soon ninth) and now drops back to the distance at which he was previously second twice. Windlord was pacemaker for Field Of Gold twice and subsequently won a ten furlong Listed race at Sandown. Running here on his own merits will he stay the extra quarter of a mile? After a couple of wins yesterday, in form Ralph Beckett provides the biggest test for the favourite with Irish Derby fifth Sir Dinadan, previously second over course and distance in the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes (Too Soon sixth). He might be the pace angle today unless Moore wants to set the fractions on Galveston. Too Soon has no earthly chance on form having been second last in a handicap a week ago.

A disappointing turnout of just five for the Nassau Stakes (3.05), with last year’s runner up See The Fire back to try and beat Ballydoyle’s representative this year. With O’Brien providing two, some might prefer Lordan on Bedtime Story, who has been fitted with a hood after failing to score in four attempts in Group 1s since winning the Debutante Stakes at 1/16 last year. Naturally Moore prefers Whirl, winner of the Musidora and the Pretty Polly at this trip with second in the Oaks sandwiched in between. Cercene caused an upset winning the Coronation Stakes, form that has been let down by other runners subsequently, and steps up two furlongs today. Running Lion was second in the Prix de l’Opera last year but was last in the Dahlia Stakes and the Falmouth Stakes, only fourth at Ascot when making the running and second in a Listed race at this trip at Haydock in four races since.

The most open betting heat of the pattern races is the Richmond Stakes (1.55) with nine lining up. Irish raider Chicago Call is a complete unknown, easy winner of a Fairyhouse maiden three weeks ago. Underwriter was last in the Coventry and subsequently won an Ayr novice cakewalk under a penalty. Six places ahead of him at Ascot was Super Soldier, who subsequently was runner up in the Prix Robert Papin, splitting Green Sense and Tadej in what was a Group 2 in name only. Ballydoyle is represented by maiden Puerto Rico, five lengths second in the four runner Railway Stakes a couple of weeks ago. Ralph Beckett fields Egoli, winner of his last two starts most recently making all in a Newbury novice under a penalty. Azizam followed up a debut win at Hamilton with third in the Windsor Castle; however, there is no obvious reason he should reverse form with the winner that day, Havana Hurricane, who subsequently failed to land the Newbury Super Sprint when favourite, over this extra furlong. Godolphin’s Maximized is fitted with cheekpieces after losing his unbeaten record when favourite for the July Stakes (the winner followed up here on Tuesday) and is no forlorn hope today if he can sit behind the pace. When last seen Coppull was third in the Coventry, form that gives him the beating of a couple of his rivals and he looks to be another that will be at the front end of this race. Previous Epsom winner Maximized should handle the track and could bounce back but if I were having a bet I would chance that Coppull’s Ascot run was not a fluke (was 66/1); however, there are too many front runners and a change of tactics is probably going to prove decisive for someone today.

 

Said for long enough QM, most jockeys come with a health warning, we should have a 'who you wouldn't let ride your bike' thread..