ARECIBO TO PROVE CURRENT FORM NO FLUKE

15:35 Goodwood

Thirteen sprinters will blaze down the hill at Goodwood for this year’s renewal.

Battaaash is bidding to win this race for a remarkable fifth time will highly likely to be favourite to repeat the dose.

It has to be said however that he comes here with a couple of questions marks hanging over him.

Firstly having raced at the highest level for some time now is age likely to take its toll at some point? A seven year old is not exactly over the hill by sprinting standards by any means, but one can’t help wondering if the new kids on the block will be snapping at his heels.

Secondly will the ground blunt his devastating speed? That speed was still evident at Ascot when he arguably wasn’t quite at his peak after suffering a minor injury in the winter. He was well beaten in the end that day and although taking him on has never been the most profitable thing to do, I’ll be looking elsewhere on this occasion.

Dragon Symbol has had a sensational season so far and is undeniably a talented sprinter. He looks an obvious danger along with Art Power who has run some admirable races in defeat.

Arecibo is surely the value bet each way? He is a sprinter who has always had more ability than he cared to show, but he has been a revelation since switching to Robert Cowells yard. We know this race will be run at a furious pace which will suit him and his jockeys style. There is every chance if he puts his best foot forward this race could fall into his lap.

ARECIBO (E/W)

written by Matt Polley