Glorious Goodwood & Galway selections Wednesday 31st July
Wednesday means the biggest races of the week at the two big concurrent Festivals at Goodwood and Galway. The Sussex Stakes features at Goodwood, but there are better betting opportunities elsewhere, so I am concentrating on the handicaps that bookend the card. At Galway the Plate is as classy a race as I can remember and requires three shots to find the winner.
Goodwood 1.50: Attila the Honey
She has been an extremely busy girl of late, but there is no doubt that ATTILA THE HONEY is ahead of the handicapper and overcome having had a hard race at Ascot only five days ago, back down to a more suitable trip.
Progressive fillies can often improve at a rate of knots and this 3yo, who did not see a racetrack until December is certainly that. Starting in handicaps from a mark of 69, a step up to this 12f distance worked the oracle and she landed back to back successes on the All Weather at Southwell. Well beaten on soft ground on her turf debut at Doncaster in April, she was given a well deserved short break.
Possibly slightly in need of the run when fading into fourth on her return at Newcastle last month, she revelled in her first attempt on fast ground at Newbury a couple of weeks ago, making all and eventually drawing clear of Elegancia. She led them a merry dance in the Brown Jack at Ascot last week over 2m, before the petrol gauge ran empty 1f out and she was nailed on the line by Tactician. I think there is plenty more to come back at a middle distance on fast going and this track can often favour prominent racers.
Goodwood 5.20: Signcastle City
As ever luck in running will be required in a big field handicap on the round track here, but SIGNCASTLE CITY has the necessary cruising speed to get into a position to attack late on.
A fast ground winner of a novice as a juvenile at Salisbury, he was good enough to finish third in listed company at the same track. Last season he struggled, but he has bounce right back to form in 2024.
He did win on soft ground at Bath back in May over a mile, but was then a little disappointing at that trip two weeks later at Newmarket. However he has continued to progress since being dropped back to 7f this summer. He produced a strong late run to win at Chepstow, but I was impressed with the way he travelled at Doncaster last time, before having to just give best to the in-form Riot. That should set him up well for this speed test and he has a strong enough finish to cope with a strong end to end gallop.
Galway 7.10: Authorized Art, Perceval Legallois & Lets Go Champ
A very classy renewal of the Plate and I have three goes.
PERCEVAL LEGALLOIS is a worthy favourite having shown conspicuous promise in big handicaps already. He jumped and travelled so fluently at the Dublin Racing Festival that it was a major surprise he tipped up at the last when challenging Heart Wood.
He showed no ill effects from that fall when giving a bold bid at Punchestown, making most before having to give best to Hgranca de Thaix. Those front-running tactics working so well bodes well for a race where pace can often be tough to peg back.
AUTHORIZED ART ran a cracker to be second to Ash Tree Meadow in this race last year, and despite rising in the weight himself, he is 8lbs better off with the winner today. He needs fast ground and will get similar conditions to those he enjoyed in the 2023 Plate.
He can race prominently and you can ignore his Paddy Power run at Cheltenham on soft ground. He returned to form on suitable going at Punchestown when always prominent before finishing third and this shorter finishing straight will favour him more.
However he ultimately had to give best to LETS GO CHAMP at Punchestown so Henry de Bromhead’s performer must be respected. A talented but brittle 9yo, the gelding has yet to finish outside the first three in his career.
He travelled and jumped brilliantly at Punchestown and found plenty for pressure late on. He has been hit with an inevitable 9lb rise as a result but this horse has been well suited by big field handicaps, also winning a big hurdle at Punchestown in the past.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – Attila the Honey – 1.50 Goodwood– 17/2 William Hill
1pt each-way – Signcastle City – 5.20 Goodwood – 12/1 BetVictor, Ladbrokes, Coral (1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt win – Perceval Legallois – 7.10 Galway – 9/2 Bet365
1pt each-way – Lets Go Champ – 7.10 Galway – 17/2 Betfred (1/5 odds 1st 6)
0.5pts each-way – Authorized Art – 7.10 Galway– 16/1 Skybet 1/5 odds 1st7)
