Goodwood selections Wednesday 29th July
The Blue Riband event of the Galway Festival, the Plate takes place this evening and this year’s field looks as good as ever with plenty of young improving talent. In such an open race I have three choices. At Goodwood the best punting race might be best left to last and I have two for the finale. We made a satisfactory start to the week at Goodwood yesterday with both each-way selections placing, Twisting Physics (advised 16/1) and Rahiebb (SP 14/1).
Goodwood 5.40: Hawksbill & Superposition
There is no doubting that HAWKSBILL has plenty of talent, it is just he needs things to fall his own way to give of his best. Having switched to the Phil Cunningham/ Richard Spencer team this season, already successful at this meeting, he looks to have found an ideal opportunity to bounce back to form from his dwindling mark.
The horse was placed in multiple conditions races and handicaps for previous connections last season, but he is hard puller who is always likely to need plenty of cover and a strong gallop to help him settle. He will get both today. He spent the winter in Dubai, and whilst his performances over there were modest, that has meant he has dropped to a rating of 93, 4lbs below when second in a good Chester handicap last summer. He was entitled to need the run on his British comeback at Newmarket last month and will surely strip fitter today.
SUPERPOSITION has been the model of consistency this season and there could yet be more to come from him. Twice a winner over a mile last season, a drop in trip seems to have brought about some improvement this term
He was a brave winner of a Newmarket handicap over this 7f trip in May and was then third on the July Course the following month. A drop back to 6f at Ascot last time was perhaps a step too far, but the way he finished off his race that day suggests he remains on a fair mark and that this return to 7f will be ideal. He has even been dropped a pound since that last run.
Galway 6.40: Will The Wise, Nowwhatdoyouthink & Ballygunner Castle
Very little dead wood horses on the downgrade here which makes this a fascinating Plate. It always seems to be a massive advantage to be at the front around this tight track and all three of my choices have the natural speed to lie up with the gallop.
WILL THE WISE comes here off the back of a famous win over the National fences in the Topham at Aintree, that run coming off the back of a brave second at Cheltenham to the well handicapped Madara. What made those performances all the more impressive was the fact he does tend to jump out to his right on occasions, so doing so well on left-handed tracks was a great effort.
We have already seen this gelding be fully effective around Galway having chased home Ol Man Dingle over 2m2f here in the autumn before making all to win his beginners at the next meeting. Whilst he had the natural speed to compete at that shorter distance, I am sure he will be better over this trip and despite going up in the weights, he is still only seven so there might be more improvement to come as I feel he will be more at home going right-handed.
NOWWHATDOYOUTHINK would already have strong claims based on his chase form in the spring when trained by Ray Hackett. He has since transferred to Gordon Elliott and makes his debut for the Cullentra handler this evening. Any sort of improvement must surely make this 7yo hard to beat.
For whatever reason, he has improved out of all recognition in the past twelve months having taken six attempts to get off the mark over fences. He cruised home at Cork in November over this trip on decent ground that he seems to favour. As a result he was kept away from deep winter ground before reappearing in the spring. He landed a Grade 3 back at Cork in April (so going right-handed is clearly a benefit) before finishing a fine third in the Grade 1 3m novice at the Punchestown Festival. That trip might just stretch his stamina, but this distance will hold no terrors.
BALLYGUNNER CASTLE could turn out to be the best of Willie Mullins challengers and with nephew Danny on bard I can see this gelding making a bold show from the front. He has often been ridden positively, but was given a more patient ride when contesting his first handicap at the Punchestown Festival He was a solid fourth that day behind Funiculi Funicula and is a full 8lbs better off today.
However it could be a change of tactics that can help turn the tables here. Whilst still a maiden over the bigger obstacles, he almost made all at Naas in March before being collared late on by Spread Boss Ted. The ground was pretty testing that day, but I suspect Ballygunner Castle will enjoy the drier conditions here. He won a bumper at Tipperary on quick ground before making a winning debut over hurdles under similar conditions at Fairyhouse.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – Hawksbill – 5.40 Goodwood –9/1 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 5)
0.5pts each-way – Superposition – 5.40 Goodwood – 18/1 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt each-way – Will the Wise – 6.40 Galway – 8/1 Unibet (1/5 odds 1st 6)
1pt win – Nowwhatdoyouthink – 6.40 Galway – 7/1 general
1pt each-way – Ballygunner Castle – 6.40 Galway – 10/1 Bet365, Unibet (1/5 odds 1st 6)
