Glorious Goodwood selections Friday 2nd August
More a day for the older horses today at Goodwood and the King George will be the fastest race of the week with some really quick sprinters over the flying 5f down the hill. There are two really good handicaps too and I have selections for all three races. Approval was a winner for us yesterday (SP 11/2).
Goodwood 1.50: Super Superjack & Tenerife Sunshine
One of the longest races in the calendar and I like the look of a horse that so nearly won this race two years ago in SUPER SUPERJACK.
The 7yo was a most unlucky loser to Master Milliner when getting repeatedly stopped in his run in the straight. Very progressive that summer, he missed the whole of 2023 through injury. However he has fit again now and has had two solid runs since in advance of this contest, an obvious target all year.
Having been moved to Olly Murphy this season, we know how good a target trainer he is, albeit mainly over jumps. His run at Ascot was full of promise last time, never really getting competitive over 14f after a slow start. This is his distance and Tom Marquand has been booked for the big day.
TENERIFE SUNSHINE was a respectable eighth on his first attempt at this trip at Royal Ascot, but was coming into that race just nine days after winning here. It could be argued that this was too tight a turnaround and he deserves another chance at this marathon trip.
He did run since at Newmarket but struggled to get involved over 14f. I strongly suspect this slightly lazy individual will need this distance to bring out his best and the ability to act on this downland track is a big positive.
Goodwood 3.00: Perotto & Orbaan
This is always one of the big betting races of the week and will remain so despite a host of non-runners. Two horses that will cope with the fast ground are fancied.
PEROTTO was only seventh in this race last year, but is much better on fast ground and the soft conditions were all against him then. He has proved his worth and showed impressive consistency since.
A winner at the Shergar Cup, he has run twice this term, making a superb seasonal debut in third in the Hunt Cup before finishing third on softer than ideal ground at Sandown. He does have winning form at this track in the past and has the tactical pace to cope with the hustle and bustle around here.
ORBAAN won this off the very same mark of 87 in 2022 on similar going and having dropped fast down the handicap since, bounced right back to form when winning the Carlisle Bell off 81 last month. He showed once again how much he loves a big field handicap.
Although he is now up in the weights as a consequence of that recent success, this type of race brings out the best in him and you can forget his recent return to Carlisle as the race was run at a slow pace and he just wasn’t able to his finishing burst to maximum effect.
Goodwood 3.35: Big Evs
In many ways this could be the race of the week and I like BIG EVS on a track that will suit much better than Ascot.
He made a bold bid to land the Group 1 over 5f at Ascot but the stiffer finish allowed the pack that day to catch up, including Asfoora he is in opposition today. However Big Evs can use his fast start and early pace to better effect on this track, as he showed when taking the Molecombe with ease here last season.
There is plenty of pace in opposition today, but he showed at York that he does not have to make all the running, and I would expect Tom Marquand to allow his mount to run even pace which should be quick enough to see off all rivals.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – Super Superjack – 1.50 Goodwood – 13/2 Bet365, William Hill (1/5 odds 1st 5)
0.5pts each-way – Tenerife Sunshine – 1.50 Goodwood – 10/1 Bet365, William Hill (1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt each-way – Perotto – 3.00 Goodwood – 7/1 Bet365, William Hill (1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt each-way – Orbaan – 3.00 Goodwood – 8/1 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt win – Big Evs – 3.35 Goodwood – 9/4 general
