Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
On my way to work, the Sussex Stakes trebled in value. This is the result of what is being reported as the biggest single sponsorship deal in the history of British racing, unveiled this morning, under which the state of Qatar will back Goodwood racecourse for the next decade.
The result is that next year’s Glorious meeting will offer £4.5m in prize money, £1m of it through the Sussex Stakes, previously worth £300,000. The Stewards’ Cup doubles in value and gets its name back, having been renamed by a bookmaker in 2014. No race at the 2015 Glorious meeting will be worth less than £20,000.
The bit that may stick in the craw of racing purists is that the Glorious meeting is now officially to be known as the Qatar Goodwood Festival. But every quid has its quo. The ‘Glorious’ title is not going to die and no one will sue us for continuing to use it, whether or not it appears on signage at the track itself.
Just imagine how much money Sheikh Fahad might have offered if Toronado had actually managed to win the Sussex this year! Here’s hoping that someone can get him interested in jump racing.
Speaking of which, the last jumps action before Christmas takes place at Bangor today. If you haven’t yet found a way to pay for the festivities, well, I don’t think today’s racing looks like the solution to all your problems. Good luck, though.
Restraint Of Trade (2.00) looks a bit big at 5-4 for a novice hurdle and he is certainly one of the most interesting runners of the day. He was one of the Godolphin horses who tested positive for anabolic steroids last year, with the result that he did not race in 2013. When he made his British reappearance at Ascot in May, he tore off in front like a loony, racing in a manner that was wild even if he was supposed to be a pacemaker for another Godolphin runner.
He is now being remade as a hurdler by the in-form Jennie Candlish and looked rather more professional when third behind two useful types at Aintree a fortnight ago. A step forward here will make him hard to beat.
Earlier, Lady Garvagh (1.30) may be overpriced at 8-1, having taken a real step forward to win last time, her first handicap on proper soft going.
Win a £50 bet in our Christmas quiz of the racing year!
Our annual Christmas quiz will be online at 1pm sharp, with a first prize of a £50 bet from Stan James, plus a consolatory prize for the runner-up. As ever, the quiz is live, so you will have to be ready to answer questions at 1pm, when the questions go live. Keep an eye on our racing front.
Join us then! And revise by studying last year’s quiz here.
There will be no tipping competition this week or next, during the Christmas holidays. I’ll post the details of our competition winner from last week on this page later today.
Talking Horses will continue through the festive season on any day when racing takes place (except Sunday), so please do keep us company and share any fancies you may have for races like the King George and the Welsh National.
Click here for all the day’s racecards, form, stats and results.
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
