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14:00 Goodwood
Glorious Goodwood is finally here and we start the five day spectical with a nine furlong handicap.
Mark Johnston and Joe Fanning teamed up to win this race last year and could well do it again but this time with Zand; he races for the first time since joining the yard and the fact Joe has decided to ride him instead of last year’s winner Sennockian Star tells us he’s been really impressed with him when they’ve teamed up together in France and must fancy him more for this.
The two Godolphin horses Gold Trail and Elhaame both drop back to this trip after being tried at further which is a surprise to see as the latter has impressed over eleven furlongs recently, the former though will probably enjoy the drop in trip more as he seemed to tire in the last couple of furlongs last time out over further.
Mount Logan was staying on strongly at York but seemed to have a lot to do coming from the middle of the pack to get anywhere near the leaders but he could be a real threat if given the right ride by Kirby today.
Collaboration and Top Tug are not with out a shout on earlier form but the latter hasn’t seem to be able to fire again since his last win in May last year and the former looked slightly out of his depth when taking on better company at Ascot last month.
Zand (E/W)
Mount Logan (E/W)
14:35 Goodwood
Our second preview is the Qatar Vintage Stakes a Group 2 over seven furlongs.
Richard Hannon and Richard Hughes had won this race for four years in a row until the O’Brien duo took that feet away from them last year and I think it’s safe to say that neither of them will win it this year as the O’Brien horse Air Field Marshall has been declared a non runner and the Hannon and Hughes horse disappointed greatly when stepping up to this kind of level last time out.
Birchwood still looked very green when winning a group 2 at Newmarket seventeen day’s ago but he still finished the race off comfortably and looks the one who’ll take all the beating for this today.
Beaverbrooke looks the better of the two Mark Johnston duo and even though he finished fifth to Birchwood last time out he looked very strong from four furlongs out and was probably sent to the front a little too early and if ridden right today he could be in the mix for this.
Ibn Malik impressed on his debut at Newmarket last month and there may be more to come from him still and could be a real prospect for the future if winning again today.
Birchwood (WIN)
Beaverbrooke (E/W)
15:10 Goodwood
Our punatilmate race of the TV tips for day one of Glorious Goodwood is the Qatar Lennox Stakes another group 2 over seven furlongs.
When I looked at this race a few days ago I saw this as a close race between Toormore and Limato but as the latter has now been declared as a non runner it’s hard to see beyond the former to win this today; he finished second in this race twelve months ago and finished the same distance when second again in the Lockinge back in May and on that form looks a clear favourite.
Dutch Connection looks the obvious danger after finishing strongly at Ascot last month and followed it up with a cracking run at Chantilly two weeks ago; he has an amazing turn of foot and could put pressure on the favourite.
The top weight Safety Check comes here bidding for a four timer after three good wins at Meydan but he’ll have a long absence to deal with and the hike up in the weights won’t help him either.
Tupi is another upped in the weights but he was always going away from the field last time out and could still have more improvement in him yet and may be one to keep an eye on in the market.
Toormore (WIN)
Tupi (E/W)
15:45 Goodwood
We end day ones coverage of Glorious Goodwood with a fourteen furlong handicap.
On paper this looks a very wide open affair and the market reflects this but there are two outsiders that have caught my eye.
Forgotten Voice showed a lot of improvement when finishing third last time out and can race off a one pound lower mark than that today; he’s won off a higher mark in the past and if he continues the way he is he could run away with this.
Elidor is another who has impressed to date and should relish dropping back down to this company after taking on listed company last time out where he wasn’t hugely disgraced and could be back in the mix again now back at this level.
Notarised made all at Haydock earlier this month where he stayed on gamely to hold on for the win; he’ll need to run his own race again in this to go in again so has to be respected if able to do so.
All Talk N No Do comes here seeking a hat-trick and is another who will want to run his own race near the front; he steps up to this level for the first time but can’t be dismissed if his earlier form comes into play again today.
Forgotten Voice (E/W)
Elidor (E/W)
Away from today’s TV Tips we also have our two best bets for Day 2 of The Galway Festival from Karl Hedley:
17:45 Galway – Waaheb (WIN)
19:50 Galway – Lady Ranger (E/W)
Listen to our full Glorious Goodwood Special Podcast right here: