Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
I had a snatched conversation with David Simcock last Friday morning about his two horses in the King George. It was due to rain a lot at Ascot, making The Corsican a doubtful runner, and the trainer was thinking about sending him to the Arlington Million instead.
As it turns out, the preferred option is the Glorious Stakes which opens today’s card at Goodwood. It’s only a Group Three and, in view of the fact that I might have backed The Corsican (2.00) to beat Golden Horn if the ground had been good at Ascot last weekend, I have to stick with him at 2-1 to win today.
I was sort of hoping he might be a better price because it seemed to me at the time that not much notice had been taken of his excellent effort in the Prince of Wales at Royal Ascot, when he made his move far too late and closed up well behind some talented animals. But the market does indeed see his chance and it’s not like he’s a good thing against talented animals like Connecticut and Dubday. I expect him to travel well on this drying ground and he is, after all, a dual Goodwood winner but his brand of hold-up tactics have not played terribly well this week.
Basem (3.10) has to prove he can cope with running downhill on a fast surface but otherwise he has excellent claims in the Betfred Mile and 6-1 appeals to me. James Doyle has been riding the track well this week.
Cotai Glory (3.45) is the same price for the King George, over the course and distance on which he broke the juvenile track record in landing the Molecomb last year. It looked as if he slightly needed his comeback run at York, when he was nevertheless a close third to Out Do.
At Newmarket tonight, Fujiano (5.20) is a fair 3-1 for the opening sprint handicap. She won her maiden at the ninth attempt on her debut for Mike Murphy at Brighton in May and her mark has only gone up 4lb in consequence. I hope to see better again here, with Edward Greatrex claiming a useful 5lb.
William Hill Glorious Goodwood tipping competition, day four
thereason1986 +61
Bacciodilupo +36
PHILYERBOOTS +28
Bonzodrongo +20
orso +11.40
wemeanyounoharm +10.50
Mai11 +10.50
cerises +10.25
chrisquinn3 +4.50
londonpatrick +1
Steve Ellis +1
Ormrod76 +0
Goldkid999 +0
factormax +0
stanflashman +0
paragoncup +0
JahLion -2.50
Crasivo -3.60
BatmanKaisers -3.60
pottys99 -3.60
moidadem -4.25
KeejayOV -5
jakebuckfast -5
sandiuk -5.10
wiggy12 -5.60
13eta13 -5.60
ID1813707 -6.10
fatdeano -7
15244 -7
GForce1 -7
ianj78 -7
MrWinnersSonInLaw -7
goofs -7.35
William36 -7.35
Stephen Peter Phillips -7.50
Bigboozer -7.50
Topspeedspurs -7.50
ID7406624 -7.50
sportingbest -8.75
erifder -8.75
Copshaw -8.75
Carol Keen -8.75
72luca -8.75
NotABoss -8.75
Harrytheactor -8.75
hubertfarnsworth -10.60
JimmyDeuce -10.60
23skidoo -10.60
Mulldog -10.60
kingklynch -10.60
ID5386281 -10.60
MISTERCHESTER -10.60
jaem13 -10.60
guancheboy -12 NQ
Ken Woodward -12 NQ
m_kirby95 -12 NQ
awrbannister -12 NQ
dustbag -12 NQ
lmungovan -12 NQ
Ellandback -12 NQ
ID420312 -12 NQ
gildedvanity -12 NQ
melonk -12 NQ
alphalank -12 NQ
millreef -12 NQ
George Webb -12 NQ
jessie69 -12 NQ
TL127 -12 NQ
James ‘Jimmy’ Runacres -12 NQ
RickyVillasBeard -12 NQ
yasmin11 -12 NQ
diegoisgod -12 NQ
16heathermac01 -12
Aldot -12
waltersobchak -12
chris1623 -12
Shrewdette -12
kmill68 -12
BearRides -12
dean055 -12
graftonway -12
After a brief pause to get his breath back, thereason1986 turned on the afterburners yesterday, finding not only Simple Verse but also Indescribable, the latter being a good word for his form this week. His lead now extends to 25 points and those of you who have yet to find a winner are trailing the pace by 73 points.
Bacciodilupo found Simple Verse to keep up the gallant pursuit, while PHILYERBOOTS is close behind, thanks to Indescribable. Bonzodrongo started Thursday in contention for Worst Tipster but picked the first three winners in our competition to move into a clear fourth place.
We’re down to just nine challengers for Worst Tipster. Diegoisgod, it seems particularly harsh to lose you but Kinematic was a non-runner in the last race yesterday.
The average SPs so far for those in contention are:
graftonway 6-1
BearRides 7-1
kmill68 7-1
Aldot 10-1
dean055 11-1
waltersobchak 11-1
Shrewdette 13-1
16heathermac01 13-1
chris1623 15-1
For today’s thrilling climax, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.10 Goodwood, 3.45 Goodwood, 4.55 Goodwood, 5.30 Goodwood.
Winners so far
Tuesday
Toormore 9-4
Blue Wave 20-1
Ridge Ranger 14-1
Mister Music 20-1
Wednesday
Solow 2-5
Kachy 4-1
Tazffin 7-2
Pastoral Player 14-1
Thursday
Big Orange 6-1
Simple Verse 11-1
Jaadu 12-1
Indescribable 18-1
We have two £25 bets as prizes this week, generously offered by William Hill, and, as has become our custom for Glorious Goodwood, we’ll be offering two prizes: one for the tipster that does best and one for the tipster that does worst. It’s a way of recognising what a tricky week this is for punters and how things can go badly wrong for any of us. Because of the nature of this competition, we’ll return to having a full scoreboard for one week only.
Prize 1: Best Tipster
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be four each day up until and including Friday. Non-runners count as losers.
If you have not joined in so far, you are welcome to do so today, but you will start on -12 and you will not be eligible for Prize 2.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day (TODAY!).
For terms and conditions click here.
Prize 2: Worst Tipster
As an additional prize for those at the other end of the leaderboard, we’re offering a one-off prize to whoever does worst this week. Our winner will be the one who finishes on -16 having picked horses at a shorter average starting price than all others who finished on -16.
To qualify for this prize, you must select a runner in each of our competition races. If one of your selections becomes a non-runner, you must replace it before the race starts or you will be eliminated. You will also be eliminated if any of your selections should happen to win.
If, at the end of the competition, two or more people on -16 are tied for the lowest average SP, the winner will be whichever of them posted their Friday tips earliest.
Otherwise, the usual terms and conditions apply.
Good luck! (or bad luck, as appropriate)
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
