ADVISED TUESDAY AFTERNOON 26TH July
Goodwood – 1:50
1 point each way Caradoc 13/2 Skybet 7 places else 7/1 Bet365 6 places.
Caradoc meets Moktasaab on 7lbs better terms compared to when they ran here over ten furlongs on fast ground in April. Caradoc has run more consistently since that April race such as finishing fourth behind subsequent Royal Hunt Cup Winner Dark Shift at Nottingham as well as eight in the John Smiths Cup handicap at York when not enjoying the clearest of runs up the far side rail. We know Caradoc likes it at Goodwood as last year he finished runner up in this race behind Migration on soft ground. He will prefer today’s good ground and is well drawn in stall 5. Richard Kingscote has been booked for the ride and it was Richard who rode Caradoc here last April when second behind Moktasaab.
Goodwood – 3:00
0.5 point each way Kinross 9/2 Paddy Power, Betfair SB & Bet365, all 4 places.
Kinross is preferred over Laneqash and Lusail due to his proven course record. He beat Creative Force in this race last season with that form franked big time when Creative Force reversed placings winning nicely at Longchamp at the backend of last season. Kinross arrives here a fresh horse following two runs this season. He went close at Haydock beaten a neck by Pogo and then dropped down in trip to 6f for the Group 1 Platinum Jubilee stakes at Royal Ascot. Kinross ran a cracker on fast ground at Ascot finishing just over two lengths behind the winner Naval Crown. That is strong form with the main runners from that Royal Ascot Group 1 running well in the July Cup at Newmarket earlier this month. Frankie Dettori will be delighted with the draw for Kinross in stall 5 alongside front runner Pogo in stall 4. The uphill finish will suit Kinross and hopefully he gets a clean run and runs another big race.
Goodwood – 3:35
1 point win Trueshan 2/1 William Hill & Bet365 else Skybet.
Trueshan has proven the best stayer in the UK last season. He won on British Champions Day as well as at Longchamp in the Prix Du Cadran along with the 2021 renewal of the Goodwood Cup. Hard to believe but he looks an improved horse this season and is fresh following two runs this season. He won the Northumberland Plate off a rating of 120 carrying 10-8 last month despite meeting some trouble in running a furlong out. I thought he ran freely in the Northumberland Plate and he showed his class and stamina to get up and win near the line. His main opposition today is Ascot Gold Cup winner and up and coming stayer Kyprios trained by Aidan O’Brien. This son of Galileo proved his class to win a slowly run Gold Cup at Ascot quickening up well with Mojo Star. Stradivarius has looked a bit unlucky at times but it might be more that he is not as good as he once was following lots of racing and at eight years of age.
Goodwood – 4:10
0.5 point each way Atalis Bay 8/1 Bet365, Unibet, Ladbrokes & Coral, all paying 4 places.
Atalis Bay ran a cracker at York in the listed City Walls stakes won by Royal Aclaim. That was his first run back following a gelding operation which looks to have done its job. Last September he finished on the coat tails of Mondammej and Copper Knight giving lots of weight to those two runners. That run was off a mark of 103 and he is down 5lbs to 98 today. Danny Tudhope rides and having been purchased for 130k last autumn so is highly regarded and ready to start winning these sprint handicaps.
Galway – 6:40
0.5 point each way Magic Chegaga 9/1 Paddy Power 6 places else 9/1 Skybet 6 places.
A fiendishly difficult handicap and all the more so with Ado McGuinness running eight as he tries to win this race four years in a row. I has Mosala in mind but there is no way I am backing him as favourite in such a competitive race. Instead, we side with the ride of champion jockey Colin Keane and relatively unknown trainer Brian Duffy. Magic Chegaga has a nice low weight of 8-13 and is bang in form finishing 1st and 2nd on her latest starts. She won by a head at Limerick over a mile with Colin Keane saying she was just doing enough in front to hold off the runner up. Seamie Heffernan rode her at the Curragh last month and in hindsight hit the front too soon allowing Bay of Bengal to run her down on the line to win by a neck. The latest run was over 1m2f so she will stay today’s stiff mile and a half furlong fine and just needs to be delivered late. There is lots of pace in the race today which can allow Colin to tuck in and ride her for luck to come home late over the top.
Galway – 7:50
0.5 point each way Dragon of Malta 16/1 generally 5 places, use BOG bookies.
Dragon of Malta has been trained with the latter half of the flat season in mind. He goes well on testing ground but did win on good ground over course and distance under Shane Foley in September 2021. Dragon of Malta had a pipe opener at Limerick when not given a hard race over a mile trip won by Magic Chegaga who runs earlier today in the big mile handicap. Jake Coen claims off a valuable 5lbs from his rating of 78 helping ease the burden carried from 10 stone to 9-9. Dragon of Malta is good on the front end with his draw in stall 3 a major positive in this wide-open handicap.
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**Next Selections due Date & Time
Wednesday Morning 27th July ~09:00
