Due to the frustrating results on the Sussex Downs yesterday for Bestofbets.com readers, only one place could help me wind down for the evening.
Who needs Goodwood when you have Worcester?
Parade ring full trying to catch a view of one man.
As @bduke77 would say, the boy Cobden. pic.twitter.com/lYXMnIPu1v
— Ash Symonds Journalism (@ASymondsJourno) August 1, 2023
Yes, that’s right, if you were looking for somewhere to watch Harry Cobden hose up on an odds-on nag, Fergal O’Brien hit the target with one runner, and the famous Sam Twiston-Davies drive, then Worcester Racecourse was the course to be at.
In all seriousness, we dipped our toe into the five-day meeting yesterday with two agonising seconds, so with hope for better results today, let’s dive into my Glorious Goodwood Day 2 bets.
1:50 Goodwood – Amleto @ 2/1 with William Hill – 3pt Win
Starting with the opening contest of the day, I believe that AMLETO will oblige at the top of the market for William Haggas and Tom Marquand.
A lot seems to be on the side of this Sea The Stars thee-year-old over the 1m4f test of the Coral Handicap, most of which the soft ground following a downpour of rain overnight; the thrice-raced gelding won on soft ground last time out, so he should handle conditions.
6.8mm of rain overnight @Goodwood_Races with more to follow. Going update following but likely to be soft
— Bill Esdaile (@BillEsdaile) August 2, 2023
Furthermore, a well-reported fact is Amleto’s stunning pedigree as he is a full brother to the 2018 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe runner-up Sea Of Class and a half-brother to last year’s Irish Cesarewitch winner Waterville.
Of course, relations aren’t always destined to be as good as each other, however, there is some encouragement behind the strength of his family as his dam, Holy Moon, has produced 12 offspring that have gone on to achieve an RPR of at least 90, which is impressive.
The 240,000GNS yearling purchase is definitely well-regarded by all connected, something that was backed up by jockey Tom Marquand after his Chester win, as he said: “That’s why you rush yourself back, to ride horses that are exciting for the future – Amleto is a horse that’s learning and building on what he’s been doing and he’s certainly going the right way.”
Lovely performance! Amleto, a full brother to the brilliant Sea Of Class, gets off the mark in style at @ChesterRaces for @TomMarquand and William Haggas 💛 pic.twitter.com/GNaLUH41cF
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 10, 2023
Therefore, although he is a short price, I hope that will be justified by the time the opener concludes.
2:25 Goodwood – White Moonlight @ 7/1 with BetVictor – 1.5pts EW
The Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes is always a difficult race to work out and this year is no different as I have made cases for at least five runners throughout the last few days.
After deliberation, WHITE MOONLIGHT is the one I’ve landed on at 8/1 with BetVictor.
Two horses represent Godolphin in this contest at similar prices with her and Dream Of Love, who initially caught my attention thanks to her second to Mawj on soft ground in Meydan, however, her back-class doesn’t immediately suggest that she could run to a rating of around 110 to win here today.
Whereas, the Saeed bin Suroor-trained White Moonlight could be a very good mare in the field who, despite being the oldest in the field, can improve and continue her rich vein of form.
White Moonlight shines in the Listed Queen Charlotte fillies' stakes @ChelmsfordCRC 👀@KShoemark excels aboard @godolphin's mare, who was providing Saeed bin Suroor with back-to-back victories in the race.
Other previous winners include Highfield Princess and Billesdon Brook.. pic.twitter.com/szQb8jUTfP
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 9, 2023
Since returning to the track in June 2022 after a 971-day lay-off, she has a plethora of good form with fellow owner-mates Soft Whisper and Wild Beauty (both rated 106) as well as her close second to the 112-rated Saratoga Oaks winner With The Moonlight earlier this year.
After that, she returned to the UK and following an easy run at Lingfield, she beat Heredia on good-to-firm ground at Musselburgh before her massive effort to succeed over the well-fancied Queen Aminatu on the all-weather at Chelmsford.
Those two runs put her on a great trajectory to perform well this week and considering her dam, Fitful Skies, placed in a Listed event on very soft during her racing career, she can feasibly be a better horse in slower conditions.
3:00 Goodwood – Baheer @ 9/2 with BetVictor – 2pt Win
Finally, to complete the trio of fancies from the first three races, I can’t let BAHEER slip past me in the Group 2 Molecomb Stakes.
When I did the Only Fools Live Horses Goodwood preview on Monday evening, Richard Hannon’s two-year-old by Mehmas was an 11/1 poke with some firms, and although I did expect to see some price movement before flag fall at 3:00 today, I wasn’t expecting him to half in price.
Saying that, Herridge Racing Stables regarded him as the best two-year-old before the season began and although he disappointed on his first start at Newbury, he quickly put that aside to win in early July.
Now then ….
Baheer (Mehmas) was simply operating on a different level in division two of the six-furlong novice stakes @NewburyRacing 👀 @rhannonracing and @AlShaqabRacing look to have unearthed another potential starlet ✨ pic.twitter.com/dyUXrvoKls
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 6, 2023
He looks to be a horse who has plenty of speed over six, so today’s drop back to five furlongs shouldn’t be a worry, and in what looks like a beatable Molecomb field, I’m with Baheer under Pat Dobbs.
