Goodwood and Galway selections Wednesday 2nd August
Day Two at Goodwood and the weather is expected to be wild and windy on the Sussex Downs. It might be worth taking on some of the favourites in the circumstances. I have selections for three races, whilst at Galway we have the big race of the week in the Plate so I have two suggestions for the feature. We got off to an ok start at Goodwood with Kinross a winner (advised 5/4) and Pride of America placing for the each-way (advised 9/1).
Goodwood 1.40: Struth & Westerton
Amleto looks short enough for a horse that has only won a maiden to date and has yet to contest a handicap. I have two horses proven on a soft surface in opposition.
STRUTH has been beaten four times since winning in game fashion at the big Chester meeting in May. However this will be the first time he has encountered genuine soft ground since and he has the master jockey for this contest in Joe Fanning.
I would expect Struth to be up at the front throughout and this excellent judge of pace will be keen to make use of this gelding’s stamina given the horse has already run well over 2f further. Testing conditions will ensure this is a real test and Struth has been in consistent form since including a competitive third at Ascot two weeks ago.
WESTERTON has been consistent, although he is yet to win a handicap. He was third at Newmarket’s July meeting in a similarly valuable contest, but that was on quick going and I think he will be more at home on today’s conditions.
He ran well to be second in two soft ground handicaps in the spring, but I think he will improve for a first try at 12f today. His win came in authoritative fashion in a maiden at Sandown in June, where he went strongly at the front and never looked like being headed. There should not be any need to be as forceful today, but I am sure he will handle the cut well and he is gaining plenty of experience now in races of this type.
Goodwood 3.35: Aldaary
We struck gold with an older horse from the Shadwell operation at Ascot on Saturday and it could pay to do the same in the Sussex Stakes with ALDAARY.
The 5yo has won both his career starts on heavy going including a valuable prize at Ascot as a 3yo. He won his only start of 2022 on soft ground at Haydock before injury denied him a crack at the big time.
He looked understandably rusty, and a bit short of pace over 7f on fast ground at Newmarket on his belated return. He was in better form at Ascot last time and I am sure a sharp mile is right up his street. The more rain that falls the better he should go and it does not take a great deal of imagination to see him beat at least one of the big two to achieve a profit.
Goodwood 5.20: Physique
Provided he is ridden with a little restraint in a race that includes plenty of front-runners, this looks an ideal type of contest for the unexposed 3yo PHYSIQUE.
This horse has often led himself, including when winning a decent novice last autumn at Newmarket on good-to-soft. However he is learning to settle better now and a big field and a bit of cover affords his young jockey to get him relaxed before delivering him for a late run. That tactic is likely to pay off in a race where an overly strong gallop is quite possible.
His second to Novus on very testing going at Newbury last season shows he really relishes soft ground and he was a decent third to the same horse here in May with some cut. He has struggled to cope with fast ground on his last two starts without being disgraced, but he can make full use of conditions today.
Galway 6.40: Lifetime Ambition & Foxy Jacks
Racing handily is often a big advantage in the Plate and both my horses ought to be handy throughout for this big prize.
First choice is undoubtedly LIFETIME AMBITION who came so close to one of the monument handicap chases in the Troytown at Navan last season. Nabbed by The Big Dog on the line that day, he led them a merry dance for a long way and this drop back to 2m6f should not inconvenience him.
He ran with great credit in three conditions races thereafter before being knocked over at an early stage of the Grand National. The presence of Hewick here puts him on a nice weight and he has an excellent record going right-handed, winning a top class novice at Down Royal, a Grade 3 at Limerick and he was third in the John Durkan last season. He has often gone well fresh so the break since Aintree should have done him some good.
A more speculative choice is FOXY JACKS. This enigmatic performer has been in fine form this summer with a win in the Midlands National at Kilbeggan overturning form with Stealthy Tom having been second to that rival at Roscommon.
He has to go right-handed and usually likes to blaze a trail from the front. He has only 10-1 to carry with his jockey’s claim and provided the rain does not soften too much I can see him stretching the field from some way out to give us a run at big odds.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – Struth – 1.40 Goodwood – 8/1 BetVictor (1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Westerton – 1.40 Goodwood – 11/2 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Aldaary – 3.35 Goodwood – 12/1 Bet365
1pt each-way – Physique – 5.20 Goodwood – 12/1 Bet365 (1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt each-way – Lifetime Ambition – 6.40 Galway – 16/1 Bet365 (1/5 odds 1st 6)
0.5pts each-way – Foxy Jacks – 6.40 Galway – 33/1 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 6)
