2.25pm Goodwood - Group 2 Richmond Stakes (6f)
Another competitive Group 2 two-year-old contest to kickstart our day three Glorious Goodwood tips, and The Strikin Viking could be a real star in the making, although he has recently changed yards from Kevin Ryan to Hamad Al Jehani. That can be a cause for concern for a young horse, who might be thrown off by changing yards, scenery and routines, as horses tend to be creatures of habit. It could be argued that Kevin Ryan has been slightly hard done by as he is very good with these types and has done so very well with him early on in his career. However he might just be the best horse in the race and win, but recent events are enough to slightly put me off this lad winning on Thursday.
Therefore, I am all over Billboard Star here for Eve Johnson-Houghton who, like Kevin Ryan, does so very well with these two-year-old types, such as Betty Clover, who is clearly the apple of her eye. Eve is a very good trainer with these young horses, and she has trained this son of Advertise brilliantly, as he came a very good 3rd over course and distance on debut, before backing that up with a lovely winning effort at Newmarket.
The form of that victory has been given a slight boost since, with the 2nd and 3rd horses (Praetorian and Silver Ghost) since coming out and placing in red-hot class 2 maidens at York and Newmarket, while the 4th-placed horse Ziggy's Ariel has since come out and won on its 2nd ever start at Hamilton. However, it was the performance last time out that really caught the eye and would suggest he is good enough to land a contest of this nature, running in the Group 2 July Stakes where he managed to come 2nd, only beaten by a length and three quarters behind Aidan O'Brien's Whistlejacket who has a real reputation already.
But it is the 3rd placed horse Aomori City that makes this piece of form solid, as he has since come out and landed the Group 2 Vintage Stakes at Goodwood on Tuesday, putting in a really nice performance and pulling away in style.
Therefore, the fact that Billboard Star beat Aomori City by a little under a length and was not too far behind Whistlejacket, it would suggest that this lad could be a little bit above average. The form of that July Stakes is the best form on offer here, and the more I look at it with the course-distance placed form on his first ever run, the more I just think this horse is good enough to win this. I am very much looking forward to seeing how this lad gets on, before progressing as the season also goes on.
- Selection - Billboard Star (6/1 Win)
3.00pm Goodwood - Group 3 Gordon Stakes (1m4f)
The last horse to win this race off the back of just two career wins was Harbinger for Sir Michael Stoute and Ryan Moore back in 2009, so the trends do not seem to suit the red-hot market leader, Jan Brueghel for Aidan O'Brien. Therefore I do slightly feel he might find one or two a little too good, and one of those is Sayedaty Sadaty for David Simcock who has recently picked this horse up for new connections from Andrew Balding.
I am always a little fearful of horses changing yards, but I feel this lad might have needed it, plus he is a three-year-old with eight runs under his belt, not a two-year-old having his 3rd ever career run in a pretty short amount of time. The son of Anodin does look to be a tricky customer, especially as a younger horse, but is clearly very talented as he did come 5th in the Derby, keeping on well in the closing stages despite being pretty keen early on, so that performance can actually be marked up.
He was obviously no match for the winner City Of Troy that day, but he does take a massive step down in class here into Group 3 company, and he could really put his race experience to good use here on Thursday against a rival at the top of the market who has only had the two career runs to date.
Although he does have eight runs to his name, he has only got his head in front on just the one occasion, and could be one of these talented sorts but his in race antics stop him from winning more often, but I feel the smaller field and the booking of Jamie Spencer will be a huge plus for him here. Spencer could be key here if he can settle the horse down early, before pouncing late in the day, and if he can work his magic and accomplish this, it will be some performance from both horse and jockey.
Since the Derby he has changed hands and is now with Australian Bloodstock Stable, who are very famous colours in Australia, so a trip Down Under for this horse will most likely be on the cards soon. Therefore if he can land this contest on the way, he will be a red-hot runner in whatever race he might compete in when going to Australia.
- Selection - Sayedaty Sadaty (4/1 Win)
3.35pm Goodwood - Group 1 Nassau Stakes (1m2f)
This contest is tricky to decipher, as the three-year-olds Opera Singer and Elmalka take a step up in trip here against some real tough mares who have plenty of experience at this trip and level, but the younger legs could just prove to be better.
Opera Singer's run in the Coronation Stakes would suggest she obviously needs a step up in class, as she just lacked that slight turn of foot that Porta Fortuna showed on the day, and she was keeping on very well heading to the line, and the same can be said for Roger Varian's Elmalka, who was always staying on at the one pace when coming 4th in the Coronation Stakes.
However, if the vastly experienced Emily Upjohn is on form, then she is the one they all have to beat. She clearly isn't as good this season as previous ones and can be a little tricky to ride, so Kieran Shoemark will have to have his a-game ready, but he is fresh off riding Friendly Soul to victory in the Group 3 over the weekend at Ascot, so his confidence should be sky high at the moment. However, no matter how tricky she is to ride in races, on her day she is extremely talented, and was very unlucky to bump into Bluestocking in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh last time, when looking like the winner all the way up to the last 100 yards or so.
Kieran got a fair bit of stick for the ride, but there was little he could have done differently, and he actually put her in a grand position to win the race, only to be just outstayed by a horse who can very much mix it up in the 1m4f division in Ralph Beckett's Bluestocking.
That horse has since come out and placed 2nd in a very strong King George field over the weekend, which gives the Pretty Polly Stakes form a little boost. As mentioned, Emily Upjohn was quite unlucky last time and although beaten, looked to be back to her best form possible, when pulling a further 3 lengths or so clear of Content, who has also since come out and placed 2nd in the Irish Oaks, only beaten by three quarters of a length.
The form of the Pretty Polly Stakes is pretty decent, and Emily did look to be running with real zest last time. She hasn't won since the Coronation Cup last June, and has not run at Goodwood, but I feel the course will pose no threats to her winning here on Thursday.
Shoemark spoke via At The Races on Monday and stated she is a real top-of-the-ground mare, who will very much appreciate the track, ground and trip, therefore everything is all set and ready for the mare at Goodwood on Thursday.
There would be no result that would make me happier than for her to land another Group 1 at the ripe old age of five years old. If on her A-game, she is the one to beat for me.
- Selection - Emily Upjohn (2/1 Win)
All previews and tips provided by @ Jake Russell