Today’s best bets, by Greg Wood
The Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood no longer has much relevance as a Classic trial even in a normal year, and this year’s odd calendar, with most major meetings a week late but Epsom’s Classic meeting still opening on the first weekend in June, means that it falls only eight days before the Derby.
Only one of this afternoon’s six runners – Fierce Impact, a 14-1 chance for today’s race – is still engaged in the colts’ Classic, and while there is always the £85,000 supplementary stage and the owners of The Grand Visir (3.45), for one, would not struggle to find the cash, it is difficult to see any of these runners in the Derby field on 3 June.
That said, The Grand Visir is an interesting prospect for later in the year. A son of Frankel whose dam’s side includes close ties to high-class performers such as Sagamix and Sagacity, he cost €750,000 as a yearling and was much better than a narrow winning margin when successful on his debut at Yarmouth this month. With normal improvement, he should be up to winning this afternoon, and after that, who knows?
Vibrant Chords (4.55) is also interesting in the most competitive race on the card at Goodwood. Henry Candy’s four-year-old took the lead only in the closing stages when successful over five furlongs here earlier in the month, and recorded the best victory of his career to date in the process. He is up just 4lb as a result and could well prove to be a horse on a roll.
Alnaas (3.10) was a ready winner of a maiden at Chelmsford earlier this month, showing improvement from her debut less than three weeks beforehand. Today’s assignment is more difficult but the time of her last start was impressive and she may not need to find much more improvement to take a hand in the finish.
War Whisper (2.35) does not have the best of the draw but ran well over six furlongs at Ascot 13 days ago on his first start since November to finish a close third behind two horses on a different part of the track. The step back up to seven furlongs today should suit him well if Tom Marquand can find a decent path into the straight.
Arsenio Lupin (4.40) showed significant improvement on his turf and handicap debut at Nottingham recently after three starts on the all-weather, finishing a close second behind Mister Blue Sky in a race run in a solid time. He had to switch inside the final quarter-mile having allowed the winner first run, and is a fair bet at around 6-1 to get off the mark this afternoon.
The best bet of the day, though, could well be Whitkirk (6.30) at Pontefract this evening. Jedd O’Keeffe’s gelding finished a half-length runner-up behind La Celebs Ville at Haydock last month in a race that has already been followed by subsequent victories for the third and fourth horses home. The time of the race was decent too and he is another attractive bet at around 6-1.
Suitcase ‘N’ Taxi (3.30) should also go close on the same card, while Go Amber Go (1.40) and Glengarry (7.40) look best on the cards at Bath and Musselburgh respectively.
Friday’s racing tips
Goodwood
2.00 May Remain 2.35 War Whisper 3.10 Alnaas 3.45 The Grand Visir 4.20 Notice 4.55 Vibrant Chords (nb) 5.25 Midnightly
Haydock Park
2.20 Mazaaher 2.55 Hard Graft 3.30 Suitcase ‘N’ Taxi 4.05 Sasini 4.40 Arsenio Lupin 5.10 Critical Thinking 5.40 Atty Persse
Bath
1.40 Go Amber Go 2.10 One Minute 2.45 Gold Filigree 3.20 Waves 3.55 Last Page 4.30 Gambol 5.05 Wapping 5.35 Hot Mustard
Worcester
5.50 Brody Bleu 6.20 Mr Mix 6.50 Foundation Man 7.20 Adrrastos 7.50 Royal Village 8.20 Phare Isle 8.50 My Cousin Rachel
Pontefract
6.30 Whitkirk (nap) 7.00 Tamayuz Magic 7.30 Rufus King 8.00 Silvanus 8.30 Bonnie Arlene 9.00 Romanticism
Musselburgh
6.40 Mr Sundowner 7.10 Cheerfilly 7.40 Glengarry 8.10 Purple Rock 8.40 Rey Loopy 9.10 Amy Blair
