Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
There are already a dozen non-runners for Goodwood today, many of their connections citing the going as the reason, though it’s my impression that the track will ride only marginally faster than yesterday, the updated GoingStick reading being 7.5 compared to 7.2 on Wednesday. We’re due some warm, drying weather, however, so there might be some Good to Firm by Friday.
Alas, we’ve lost the interesting Godolphin horse Racing History from the opening handicap, a full brother both to Farhh and to Basem, the latter being a fancied entrant for tomorrow’s big mile handicap. Keble (2.05) has become the 11-2 favourite for today’s first, rather shorter than I hoped but still interesting for the team of John Gosden and Frankie Dettori.
Dettori managed to sneak out of having to ride this one on the day after the Derby, when Keble broke his maiden over this course and distance. He was given plenty to do by Robert Havlin when second on his handicap debut at Windsor, in a race that worked out well for those who raced prominently and I expect he’ll be better suited by having a strong pace to run at, with cheekpieces on for the first time to help his focus.
Gosden and Dettori may follow up in the Richmond Stakes with Shalaa, who looks likely to build on his July Stakes success. His odds are short enough, however, and there are interesting alternatives.
The Goodwood Cup appeals more as a betting race, although, again, I’m rather going with the market in putting up Quest For More (3.10), who must improve to win this but is plainly expected to do so at odds of 9-2, shorter than Trip To Paris, the Gold Cup winner at Royal Ascot. Fans of Trip To Paris will feel he is being underestimated once more but he does have to give weight away all round, as a Group One winner.
A year older than him, Quest For More has been brought along steadily by Roger Charlton and achieved a new career peak when landing the Northumberland Plate last time, having cantered through most of that race. That was his second success over this distance of two miles and he had previously won over a shorter trip around here. The ground should be ideal and he has the assistance of George Baker, who has one of the better records at this tricky track.
Pick of the away cards could be Bigindie (3.20) in a handicap hurdle at Stratford. You can get 4-1 about a horse who still looks well treated after hosing up on his handicap debut at Southwell in June.
William Hill Glorious Goodwood tipping competition, day three
thereason1986 +34
Bacciodilupo +28
PHILYERBOOTS +13
orso +8.40
wemeanyounoharm +1.50
Mai11 +1.50
JahLion +1.50
moidadem -0.25
sandiuk -1.10
wiggy12 -1.60
13eta13 -1.60
ID1813707 -2.10
Ormrod76 -3
fatdeano -3
Goldkid999 -3
15244 -3
GForce1 -3
ianj78 -3
MrWinnersSonInLaw -3
goofs -3.35
William36 -3.35
Stephen Peter Phillips -3.50
Bigboozer -3.50
Topspeedspurs -3.50
ID7406624 -3.50
chrisquinn3 -3.50
sportingbest -4.75
erifder -4.75
cerises -4.75
Copshaw -4.75
Carol Keen -4.75
72luca -4.75
NotABoss -4.75
Harrytheactor -4.75
Crasivo -6.60
BatmanKaisers -6.60
hubertfarnsworth -6.60
JimmyDeuce -6.60
23skidoo -6.60
Mulldog -6.60
kingklynch -6.60
ID5386281 -6.60
MISTERCHESTER -6.60
jaem13 -6.60
pottys99 -6.60
guancheboy -8 NQ
Ken Woodward -8 NQ
m_kirby95 -8 NQ
awrbannister -8 NQ
dustbag -8 NQ
lmungovan -8 NQ
Ellandback -8 NQ
ID420312 -8 NQ
gildedvanity -8 NQ
melonk -8 NQ
KeejayOV -8 NQ
alphalank -8 NQ
millreef -8 NQ
George Webb -8 NQ
jessie69 -8 NQ
16heathermac01 -8
Aldot -8
waltersobchak -8
factormax -8
Bonzodrongo -8
londonpatrick -8
stanflashman -8
Steve Ellis -8
jakebuckfast -8
TL127 -8
chris1623 -8
Shrewdette -8
kmill68 -8
BearRides -8
James ‘Jimmy’ Runacres -8
dean055 -8
graftonway -8
RickyVillasBeard -8
diegoisgod -8
paragoncup -8
yasmin11 -8
None of the three pace-setters could find a winner on Day Two, allowing orso to make up ground into fourth as the only person to find Pastoral Player. Wemeanyounoharm, Mai11 and JahLion all had doubles with Kachy and Tazfinn, despite, in Jah’s case, declaring for the Worst Tipster prize.
Competition for Worst Tipster was radically reduced on Day Two, with a surprising number of you prepared to risk picking Solow. Just 21 remain with perfectly poor records at the halfway stage.
Today, 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
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 -8 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.
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.
