QATAR GOODWOOD FESTIVAL – THURSDAY
1:50 Unibet Handicap
Walkinthesand (Ryan Moore)
We’ve always liked him and at one stage we thought he was our Guineas horse but he’s developed into a very smart Handicapper who will easily handle a step back up in grade. The Handicapper put him up to 110 so we’ll probably end up going that way anyway but this looks another good opportunity to pick up a decent prize. He handles cut and has been in great form at home so I expect him to go extremely close under Ryan Moore.
2:25 Richmond Stakes
Threat (Tom Marquand)
We considered the Vintage (over 7f) but decided to stay at 6f for the time being and then step him up afterwards. Obviously it was disappointing he got beat in the Coventry but it at least showed us that he is the good horse we thought and I’m still really excited about him. The rain that was around earlier in the week seems to have disappeared so the ground will be perfect and he goes there with an excellent chance. He reminds me very much of Canford Cliffs in the fact that he’s small, compact and very muscular yet still keeps his condition. He is full of class and I’m extremely hopeful.
3:00 G3 Gordon Stakes
Floating Artist (Pat Dobbs)
He may have been a big price at Ascot last time but he didn’t go unfancied as we thought the step up to 1m4f would bring out some improvement and indeeed it did. That was only a Handicap so he’s up in grade here and he has to improve a few pounds but he’s in very good form and deserves to take his chance. He’s won around here before so will have no problems with the track and I fancy him to run a big race.
4:10 Nursery
Willa (Martin Dwyer)
She ran a decent race at Newbury on her penultimate start and then got badly outpaced on what was quite sticky ground at Kempton last time. I’m happy with her draw and she’s weighted to reverse form with Picture Frame so I’m hopeful she can run well.
Pitcher (Jimmy Quinn)
He’s shown enough to suggest he’s more than capable of winning a race and it will be interesting to see how competitive he is off 70 but stall 17 is a terrible draw and for that reason I couldn’t be confident.
4:45 Maiden Fillies’
Al Dawodiya (Sean Levey)
She’s a very smart filly by Gutaifan who has been doing everything right at home. Goodwood Maidens are always hard to win but we like her an awful lot and have kept her for this meeting.
Ruby Power (Silvestre De Sousa)
She’s a filly with a lot of ability and is certainly one to keep an eye on but she will definitely improve for the run and I think I have a better chance with Al Dawodiya.
5:20 Handicap
Good Luck Fox (Silvestre De Sousa)
He’s got a lot of speed at a quick track like this will suit but I’m not convinced he’s really been putting it in so we’re putting a set of blinkers on which will hopefully sharpen him up a bit. There are lots of in form horses in this and sadly he isn’t one of them so I couldn’t be overly confident.
Don't forget to check out @unibetracing for the rest of my runners this week!