UK Horse Racing Tips: Goodwood

VALEDICTORY is realising his full potential this year for leading connections and struck over C&D before gamely winning a valuable handicap over the same trip at Newmarket's July Festival. He's unlikely to be done improving yet and gets the vote ahead of Sing Us A Song, who is the choice of James Doyle and also boasts winning course form, although the other Wathnan Racing runner Hopewell Rock cannot be overlooked. Small Fry gets in under a nice weight for Joseph O'Brien and commands respect too.
Prediction : 1st Valedictory 2nd Sing Us A Song 3rd Small Fry

AL AASY has won the last two renewals of this race and is expected to take a bit of beating following a confidence-boosting success at Beverley. His reappearance effort in the John Porter at Newbury was also an encouraging effort and suggests the nine-year-old retains plenty of enthusiasm for the game. Ghostwriter is expected to improve on his Wolferton effort at Royal Ascot and should go well, likewise the selection's stable companion Opportunity, who defied all the stats and trends to win the Duke Of Edinburgh from stall one.
Prediction : 1st Al Aasy 2nd Ghostwriter 3rd Opportunity

WAARDAH was getting 10lb from Danielle (second) when winning this race 12 months ago as a three-year-old and there are grounds to suggest she can confirm her superiority over the Gosdens' mare, despite now running off level weights. Owen Burrows is having a fine season, his Postponed filly is 2-2 at this track, and she seems to still be improving judged on her latest Carlisle performance when she made a race of it with subsequent Group 1 winner Estrange. Cheekpieces didn't help Santorini Star in the Hardwicke but they are removed now and she could bounce back, likewise her old rival Consent, who was behind William Haggas' charge in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier but had her measure in France last autumn.
Prediction : 1st Waardah 2nd Danielle 3rd Santorini Star

Two Tribes won this last year by over two lengths but he races off 7lb higher now, although he is due to go up another 2lb after finishing second when trying for back-to-back International triumphs at Ascot last week. DARK THIRTY ran a blinder to be second to Sondad in a valuable Curragh handicap last month, which has seen him upped to a mark of 101 for future contests, possibly making him the one to beat here off 96. Far Above Dream, Ferrous and Flash Harry are all unbeaten at the track and are just a few more to consider.
Prediction : 1st Dark Thirty 2nd Two Tribes 3rd Far Above Dream

WILD DESERT has to give weight all round, but is the class act in this field. Godolphin's colt finished third in last year's Superlative Stakes at Newmarket and was only beaten a head in the Grade 1 Summer Stakes at Woodbine before being put away for the winter. He pulled too hard at Newmarket on his return last month but if he improves for that, he could prove too strong. Marengo Storm is open to plenty more improvement. while Naval Light is also developing nicely.
Prediction : 1st Wild Desert 2nd Marengo Storm 3rd Naval Light

AL WATHBA finished a creditable second at Newmarket on debut. That effort can be marked up given the winner went close in the Vintage Stakes here on Tuesday and the third has subsequently won, so the vote goes to Charlie Appleby's promising colt. Joseph O'Brien's Leadlight wasn't beaten far when fourth at Leopardstown and rates a bigger danger than compatriot Speakers Corner, while Chester runner-up Regency Royal may improve for this extra yardage to make his presence felt.
Prediction : 1st Al Wathba 2nd Leadlight 3rd Regency Royal

EL MATADOR has been knocking at the door and is taken to gain a deserved success. Placed in all four outings so far this season, he rallied well to finish a solid third in a tougher handicap at Newcastle last time and a bold bid is expected off an unchanged mark. Not disgraced in the John Smith's Cup at York, Spell Master is another on the class drop and he can get involved, while this intermediate trip could see Boyfriend in the mix.
Prediction : 1st El Matador 2nd Spell Master 3rd Boyfriend