Architect has seven tips for Day 2 at Glorious Goodwood.
13:50 Goodwood
David Menuisier has a decent record at this meeting with his handicap runners, and despite his quirky antics, which were evident last time out, GOODWOOD ODYSSEY (best price 8/1) holds a solid each-way chance in the opener with four places generally available and advised.
He took his career to two wins from three starts at Sandown in April and was then deemed good enough to contest one of the hottest handicaps of the season, the London Gold Cup. Although he could only finish seventh, I thought he shaped better than the position suggested.
Nevertheless, the son of Ulysses looked like an unlucky loser last time out, where he quickened to the lead a fair way from the finish due to racing keenly and probably would have won had he not wandered markedly left. Even though he forfeited ground, he rallied towards the finish.
Had he kept a straight course, I’m convinced he would have succeeded, so the fact that the assessor has kept him on a mark of 90 must give him a serious chance. Silvestre De Sousa retains the ride, and if the application of blinkers does have a positive outcome, he must go well.
Goodwood Odyssey, 0.5 pts E/W, 8/1, 4 places
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14:25 Goodwood
At decent odds, I quite like the credentials of RAQIYA (best price 8/1) who looks ready for this new trip. Owen Burrows filly has won three of her six starts and has showcased a fine turn of foot in each of those, including in a Listed race on her penultimate start at Salisbury.
I was impressed with how she quickened up before digging deep in the closing stages. She wasn’t given a hard time of things when beaten a couple of lengths into sixth in a Group 3 at York last time out and is now being experimented over seven furlongs. With the possibility of raising her game, she merits consideration.
Kathmandu has posted two good efforts in Group 1 company the last two times, but I think she has been flattered both times, as she was allowed an easy lead on soft ground on her penultimate start when second and had no real excuses when beaten into fifth last time out.
The form of his previous runner-up effort doesn’t look strong either, so the solid choice must surely be JABAARA (best price 11/4), who is eased in grade following a creditable second in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes last time out despite the trip stretching her stamina.
That was her first run over a mile, and she was the only horse able to briefly lay down a challenge to Porta Fortuna. At one point, she was travelling just as well as the eventual winner, but the petrol gauge began to flicker late on, and she did well to hang on for the silver medal.
The return to seven furlongs will suit her, as she won her two previous starts over the trip and was classy in winning each of those. Roger Varian’s strong-travelling three-year-old should get a nice lead into the race before pouncing when it matters most.
15:00 Goodwood
AMESTRIS (best price 14/1) is held in high regard by Michael Bell, and having met a troubled passage when ninth of 24 in the Group 2 Queen Mary at Royal Ascot last time out, she is fancied to prove she’s a filly well capable of mixing it in pattern-class races with her sights lowered.
She shaped very well when second to Ain’t Two on debut at Newmarket, beaten under a length, before confirming that promise with a five-and-a-half-length success at Lingfield. Given that she has lots of speed and pace, with her best days ahead of her, I think she has an excellent chance. I recommend taking the four places available.
16:10 Goodwood
Marcus Tregoning might not have the star power he once possessed, but he’s enjoyed his fair share of winners on this card over the years and has a leading chance of winning this contest with the consistent WISPER (best price 12/1).
This six-year-old is a habitual slow starter and has exclusively saved her best efforts for Brighton, given she’s 5-7 at that particular course, but with a sufficient scorching pace potentially on offer, she has a fighting chance on her first start at this venue.
She recently came within half a length of success when pushing the 91-rated Andaleep close at Windsor, and a 2lb higher mark seems realistically lenient. Given her consistency and her liking for this ground, I’ll be surprised if she’s not thereabouts at the business end.
Her stable also runs Secret Solace, but she appears to be the main hopeful. Four places are generally available and recommended.
Charlie Johnston’s team is starting to hit a decent run of form, and I’m interested in the chances of TRUE WISDOM (best price 9/1), who I suspected has been targeted at this contest and is an appealing proposition at the odds.
This filly has two ways of running, either poorly or very well, but I’m optimistic that she is very well handicapped off a mark of 83. In her two-year-old win at Newmarket, she beat Bellum Justum, who is now rated 104, and finished third in the Hampton Court at Royal Ascot.
Something seemed amiss when last of four at Epsom, but she quickly resumed her progress when second on handicap/seasonal debut at Kempton, only finding subsequent King George V Stakes winner Going The Distance too good.
Her latest outing here was disappointing, finishing only seventh when favourite, but she’s a lot better than that, and, off a very handy weight and mark along with her form tied in closely with Royal Ascot winners and placed horses, she could offer good value.
Four places are widely available and advised.
16:45 Goodwood
Coto De Caza looked a smart filly when scoring with any amount in hand at Beverley, but this is a much deeper race, and she might have her work cut out trying to defeat Amy Murphy’s CONVO (best price 8/1), who is a solid each-way choice.
She made a successful debut at Saint-Cloud in March before displaying plenty of speed en route to finishing third at Salisbury, finishing a place behind subsequent Group 3 runner-up Betty Clover.
Following that decent effort, she finished second in a Listed race back in France, a place in front of Kaadi, who was last seen taking fourth in Newbury’s Super Sprint. Her stamina was stretched in the Albany next time out.
However, she wasn’t beaten far when she finished fifth in a Group 2 race in Chantilly earlier this month and is down in grade. After just two starts in the UK, she has more to offer and could be hard to beat on a course that suits speedy types.
