2.25pm Goodwood - Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes (7f)
Class and previous Group form could come to the forefront here with Kathmandu who was a very good head 2nd in the French 1000 Guineas a few months back, after which she went over to France once again and ran a creditable 5th in the Prix Jean Prat, where she was only beaten by a little under 4 lengths.
That was a pretty red-hot Group 1 contest so the drop down in class will naturally mean she has a real chance here, especially now dropped down in trip also back to seven furlongs.
Sean Levey is having a very good season at the moment, and has ridden a Listed race and Royal Ascot Group 3 already for Brian Meehan this season. He will want to kickstart the day in good form with a winner, and hopefully that will provide a tonic for him after the disappointment of Rosallion getting pulled out of the Sussex Stakes later on in the card.
Kathmandu boasts the best form in the race, and is probably the most talented runner in the field, and the BHA ratings would also back that theory up. If she can run like she did in the French 1000 Guineas then she will be very hard to stop, with the tongue tie now added once again, she is the one they all have to beat.
- Selection - Kathmandu (4/1 Win)
3.00pm Goodwood - Group 3 Molecomb Stakes
We are all over Aesterius for this here on Wednesday, as he is basically the best horse in the contest and has put up some very decent performance so far in his career, which includes a very easy win at Bath on debut, a 5th in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at the Royal meeting, before going on to land a Listed contest in pretty decent style at Sandown last time.
He was very keen early on in the Dragon Stakes last time, but that did not seem to deter him as he still powered clear in the closing stages to land the Listed prize by a length and a half, looking like a real speed ball in the process.
It is no secret now that Wathnan Racing are buying very forward and talented two-year-olds, and this lad is another one they can very much look forward to as the season progresses. For me he is the best horse in this contest, and although this is a much stronger contest than his last outing, if he can run like he did in the Norfolk, the others in behind won't be able to catch him.
He was actually my Norfolk selection at the royal meeting last month, so to see him go out and win at Listed level next time was satisfying, as he is a horse that I hold in high regard and have done since his very nice debut win at Bath.
- Selection - Aesterius (5/2 Win)
3.35pm Goodwood - Group 1 Sussex Stakes (1m)
It is disappointing news that we don't get to see Rosallion run in this contest on Wednesday, as I feel he would have dotted up here once again. He is such a likeable and tough type, so hopefully he can get better soon and we can see him strutting his stuff once again in Group 1 company.
Henry Longfellow will be sure to gather a whole deal of interest now that Rosallion is no longer in the field, given his trainer, jockey and previous form this season, but I am giving another chance to the 2000 Guineas winner Notable Speech, who did actually beat Rosallion in that feature classic contest at Newmarket in May, so the form is obviously very strong from the 2000 Guineas.
I would almost suggest drawing a line through that run last time out in the St James's Palace Stakes as the Charlie Appleby horses were not firing at all, and for some reason they don't tend to do very well at Ascot, especially in the big Group contests. Charlie has been very happy with his boy ever since he was declared for the race, and has been excited for the highly anticipated re-match with Rosallion once again, and now the latter horse has been pulled out, it gives his horse a really good chance of landing his 2nd ever Group 1.
Notable Speech's rise in the ranks has been nothing short of brilliant since having his first race at the start of the year at Kempton, before going on to run twice more at that venue, winning on both of those occasions.
It is remarkable that he actually made his turf debut in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, and what is even more remarkable is that he won the contest, especially in the manner that he did. That performance was underrated, and I even underrated it at the time as I chalked it down to being race-fit given the fact he has been running since the start of the year.
But you have to give Charlie Appleby and the horse plenty of credit, his rise has been astounding. As mentioned, a line can be drawn through that run last time, as he hails from a yard who can very much get them to bounce back with their next run. He is a talented sort who, if on song, is more than good enough to beat Henry Longfellow and win this contest.
He is a winner this season (whereas the Aidan O'Brien horse is not) and is actually higher than the Ballydoyle horse in the weights, therefore he is the one they all have to beat now with Rosallion unfortunately not running.
- Selection - Notable Speech (7/4 Win)
4.45pm Goodwood - Alice Keppel Fillies Conditions Stakes
This could be a pretty good contest, and Harry Davies looks to have a very nice ride for Simon & Ed Crisford here as their Coto De Caza looks to be a potential weapon already. Costing a pretty penny of €270,000 earlier in the year, she shaped with a fair bit of promise when coming a neck 3rd at Lingfield on debut, and despite running very green in the closing stages, she did actually keep on relatively well in the closing stages and very much looked the sort to learn a whole lot from that experience.
It turns out that was correct, as she soon put that experience to good use when dotting up on the bridle at Beverley in a novice stakes race. She was slowly away that day, but soon claimed second spot to which she operated throughout the race, travelling like a dream thoughtout before getting shaken up in the final furlong, powering clear in the closing stages to land the contest by a very easy and eye catching 5 lengths.
She still ran pretty green that day, but was not as green as her first run at Lingfield, so she clearly learned how to settle during a race and does look to be the sort to keep improving with each passing run.
This is a much better contest at Goodwood on Wednesday compared to that novice win last time, but the manner in which she won would very much suggest she is capable of further progress. I am excited to see how she gets on, as I feel the Crisford's could have a real weapon on their hands judging by her price tag and how she won at Beverley last time.
- Selection - Coto De Caza (5/4 Win)
All previews and tips provided by @ Jake Russell