Goodwood Tips: Architect's Best Bets for Glorious Goodwood 2023

Lennox Stakes Tips

On Tuesday, the opening day of Glorious Goodwood, the first group-race action is the Group 2 Lennox Stakes, a race that has been profitable for favourites over the last decade, with five winning favourites from the last 10 renewals.

Last year’s renewal was won by Sandrine, while Kinross, who won the race two years ago and was beaten only a neck by the former in the race last year, is back to try and reclaim his crown. Sir Dancealot was the last two-time winner of the contest and Ralph Beckett’s smart Gelding heads the betting at a best-price 5/4 to match that feat and will be partnered by Frankie Dettori.

Last seen finishing third in the July Cup, the money has continued to pour in for the six-year-old in recent days due to the expected arrival of rain. With the ground currently riding good to soft-soft in places, and should it hold to that at least come post-time, this multiple Group 1 winner will be in his element under these conditions.

Form-wise, he is the one to beat and I would even go as far to say he should be a touch shorter in the betting with practically everything in his favour. He is a high-class horse and when he won this two years ago, it was pragmatically a much stronger edition as he beat various Group 1 winners.

In this instance, there aren’t any Group 1 winners in this field with the exception of himself and that will count for plenty. Ratings put him clear of these as well, so the reality is, there appears to be very few chinks in his armour and he might be able to give favourite backers the perfect result.

The betting does indicate Brian Meehan’s Isaac Shelby is his biggest threat, currently available at 9/2. This three-year-old has fewer miles on the clock in comparison the favourite and he is proven on soft ground as well having returned an impressive winner of the Greenham at Newbury on his return, form that has worked out well.

He has since proved that effort to be just a small sample of his progress to date, as he finished runner-up in the Group 1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains next time before a good fourth in the St James’s Palace Stakes last-time-out. He must be respected now eased in grade and should Kinross get beaten, he will be the horse to capitalise.

Recommended bets: Kinross to WIN

Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup Tips 

The feature race on the opening day is the Goodwood Cup, which is also recognised as the third leg of the QIPCO British Champions Series long-distance programme.

Often billed as one of the races of the week, this illustrious event has never failed to deliver, including last year when the Aidan O’Brien-trained Kyprios rose to the occasion to defeat former winner’s Stradivarius and Trueshan in a three-way thriller.

The most successful horse of the modern era in this particular contest is Stradivarius, who won this four times between 2017-2020. Given that great horse is enjoying his well-deserved retirement, and both Kyprios and Trueshan are absent from this year’s line-up, this means a new champion will be crowned.

Courage Mon Ami, trained by John and Thady Gosden, who are all too familiar with this race having trained Stradivarius to his multiple successes in the race, is the current market leader at a best-price 5/2 on the back of his dominant Royal Ascot Gold Cup success.

The undefeated son of Frankel is progressing through the ranks and after a successful visit here two starts back over 1m6f in a handicap, he relished the step up in trip and grade to take the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in his stride, where he came from off the pace to win going away as he handed Frankie Dettori another victory in his final Royal Ascot appearance.

His mount has much more to come and has similarities to four-time winner Stradivarius. Furthermore, he is aiming to surpass the stable’s former star stayer by taking the Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup in just his second season. The former champion had to wait until his third season to achieve this and Courage gets his chance to do so after less than a handful of outings, which is rare in itself.

This youngster has a long way to go to match the achievements of his former stablemate but the sky’s the limit for him in this division and it will take a good horse to see his colours lowered but this will be no walkover by any means with the level of competition he is set to face, very high.

Meanwhile, the runner-up from the Gold Cup, Coltrane, can be backed at a best-price 10/3, who is second-favourite. Marco Botti’s Giavellotto took the scalp of some good horses when taking the Yorkshire Cup last-time-out and is trading at general odds of 14/1. He has been kept fresh for this contest and remains unexposed as a stayer with improvement on the cards.

Trainer John Gosden has four winners and four places from nine runners and is the most successful trainer in the history of the race, while Frankie Dettori has also won it four times and is the most successful jockey in the race.

OCEAN WIND who has form figures of 311122233 on the Flat and was only beaten a length when second to Stradivarius in the Sagaro Stakes a couple of years ago.

Roger Teal’s lightly-raced seven-year-old shaped very well on his return from more than two years off when third in a Listed event last month and will be much fitter in this contest. He is one to keep an eye on at 33/1.

Recommended bets: COURAGE MON AMI to win & GIAVELLOTTO each-way

Sussex Stakes Tips 

Paddington is unsurprisingly a warm favourite at 1/2 to claim a fourth consecutive Group 1 when he tackles Wednesday’s feature, the Sussex Stakes.

Aidan O’Brien’s charge has made relentless progress, winning each of his five starts this term, including the Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes and the Coral-Eclipse and is expected to take some beating.

The drop in trip shouldn’t be an issue, as he has plenty of pace and he is clear of these on ratings and form. His connections haven’t won this since The Gurkha was victorious in 2016 but this high-class horse has a great chance of giving them another.

Jockey watch 

Jim Crowley has ridden the winner in three of the last six renewals and could take the ride on the William Haggas-trained Aldaary.

He proved no match for Master Of The Seas last-time-out at Ascot but has place possibilities.

Nassau Stakes Tips

On Thursday, the third day of the Festival, Christopher Head’s French star Blue Rose Cen is set to make her British debut in the Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes and is a red-hot 11/10 favourite to make a successful trip over to these shores.

She completed a rare treble at Chantilly when winning the Prix de Diane earlier this month, adding to victories in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches and last year’s Marcel Boussac. An achievement worthy of serious recognition given that feat has only been achieved three times in the past.

A winner of seven of her nine outings, she has yet to reach the pinnacle of her career according to her connections and while this will be her toughest challenge to date, she could prove to be in a different parish to these and is the one they all have to beat. Fingers crossed the plan to come here and win can fruition.

The biggest hope of the British runners is the really likeable and defending champion Nashwa, who returned to her brilliant best last-time-out when absolutely trouncing her rivals in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes, her second top-level success of her career.

She is back to defend her title after winning this in good style twelve months ago but while she has previously run well on soft ground, when second in the Prix de l'Opera Longines, she would ideally prefer better ground and is 2/1 second-favourite.

John Gosden is the most successful trainer of the last 10 years, winning it three times, including last year with the former, while William Buick ridden the winner three times of the last 10 renewals and might be worth a second look whoever he rides in this year’s race.

Recommended bet: BLUE ROSE CEN to WIN

King George Qatar Stakes Tips 

One of the fastest none-Group 1 sprint events of the calendar, which takes place on the fourth day of the meeting, Friday, and one of the greatest sprinters of the modern era known as Battaash, won it four times between 2017 and 2020, breaking track-records in the process and we could be set to see another star on show.

The John Quinn-trained Highfield Princess is the runner in question, who heads the market at a general 11/8 and has a great chance of getting her head in front for the first time this season after a sequence of placed efforts, including at Royal Ascot twice in the same week. She stepped up on her return York second to finish second in the King’s Stand before a good third in the Platinum Jubilee.

This six-year-old three-time Group 1-winning mare won the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville, the Nunthorpe Stakes at York and the Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh last season and will instead tackle this race rather than go back to Deauville. Her main target is York again but this course will suit her power and speed and she is a worthy favourite. I can’t see past her as I believe this is her race to lose.

Trainer watch

Charlie Hills has won five of the last six renewals, including last year with Khaadem and is set to run two contenders. Equality is one of those, who has won his last two starts, including the Group 3 Coral Charge last time at Sandown and is priced up at 8/1.

Meanwhile his other intended runner, Equilateral, has not been seen since finishing fifth in the King’s Stand and is a good horse when everything clicks but was only eighth in this last year. If Charlie is to win this again, Equality is probably his best hope.

Recommended bet: HIGHFIELD PRINCESS to WIN