AFTER a proper drenching on Sunday, the picturesque Sussex Downs should have a slightly greener look to it when racing gets underway at Glorious Goodwood this afternoon.
The highlight on the first of five days of action is the Qatar Goodwood Cup (3.35pm), where red-hot favourite STRADIVARIUS faces just six rivals in his attempt to join the list of back-to-back winners.
John Gosdens four-year-old will look to be mentioned in the same breath as Further Flight (1991/2), Double Trigger (1997/8) and more recently Big Orange (2015/6) who all landed the two-mile contest in successive years.
Stradivarius began this seasons campaign with a facile win in the Yorkshire Cup back in May where he had three lengths in hand of runner-up DESERT SKYLINE at the line.
He then went on to the Ascot Gold Cup where he emerged victorious in a ding-dong battle with Vazirabad and TORCEDOR where only a length separated the trio at the line.
Frankie Dettori was seen at his brilliant best on the son of Sea The Stars and they werent for passing that day.
Andrea Atzeni replaces the suspended Dettori in the saddle this afternoon, but thats no real handicap as he is a perfect two from two on the horse, including this very race 12 months ago.
The reality is that there is only one negative about a horse who seems to be blossoming with age from a yard in great form, and thats his price.
Coral are offering 4/7 about him winning this afternoon and at those odds Im prepared to take him on with re-opposing Ascot third Torcedor.
Jessica Harringtons six-year-old is 1lb better off at the weights for that defeat and is value in the rematch at 5/1 with Paddy Power.
There was nothing unlucky about his performance at Ascot, but at the same time Stradivarius is priced up as if he got the job done a lot easier than he actually did.
Torcedor showed as much in the way of guts and tenacity as the winner did that day and will have been much more suited by the recent change in weather conditions.
Some of his best performances have come with plenty of cut in the ground, including when running out an impressive five-length winner of the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot back in May.
Whether he will be quite good enough to repel Stradivarius remains to be seen, but Im expecting a terrific tussle between the pair.
Aidan OBrien steps Idaho up in trip to two miles for the first time and there are reasons to think the extra trip may well be the making of him.
Coral make him a 9/1 shot, which could have made some appeal if the Ballydoyle team were in better form.
OBrien made some negative noises about the stables health last week and for that reason Idaho may be best watched.
Call To Mind was a good third behind Stradivarius at York back in May and has since won over this trip on his travels to New York.
What he actually achieved in form terms there, other than proving that he stays this trip, is open to debate and hes another one Im happy to overlook.
Dal Harraild fans will be hoping the application of blinkers for the first time will help him be competitive, but he is very much in at the deep end here.
As for St Michel, he now has a fair bit to prove as he showed very little on his first start back for nearly a year in Hamburg last month.
He had previously run well in the Lonsdale Cup at York 12 months ago but supporting him requires a huge leap of faith.
If one horse is to outrun his current odds it could well be Desert Skyline who regular followers of this column will remember was hugely disappointing for us in the Ascot Gold Cup.
For whatever reason he just didnt seem to run his race that day and is better judged on his previous second behind Stradivarius at York when attempting to give him 3lbs.
He finished third in this very contest 12 months ago and it would be no surprise to see him bounce back again and fill that same position this afternoon.
Unfortunately for each-way backers there are only the seven runners, meaning bookmakers will only pay out on two places.
BILL ESDAILES GOODWOOD CUP 1-2-3
- Torcedor
- Stradivarius
- Desert Skyline
AFTER a proper drenching on Sunday, the picturesque Sussex Downs should have a slightly greener look to it when racing gets underway at Glorious Goodwood this afternoon.
The highlight on the first of five days of action is the Qatar Goodwood Cup (3.35pm), where red-hot favourite STRADIVARIUS faces just six rivals in his attempt to join the list of back-to-back winners.
John Gosdens four-year-old will look to be mentioned in the same breath as Further Flight (1991/2), Double Trigger (1997/8) and more recently Big Orange (2015/6) who all landed the two-mile contest in successive years.
Stradivarius began this seasons campaign with a facile win in the Yorkshire Cup back in May where he had three lengths in hand of runner-up DESERT SKYLINE at the line.
He then went on to the Ascot Gold Cup where he emerged victorious in a ding-dong battle with Vazirabad and TORCEDOR where only a length separated the trio at the line.
Frankie Dettori was seen at his brilliant best on the son of Sea The Stars and they werent for passing that day.
Andrea Atzeni replaces the suspended Dettori in the saddle this afternoon, but thats no real handicap as he is a perfect two from two on the horse, including this very race 12 months ago.
The reality is that there is only one negative about a horse who seems to be blossoming with age from a yard in great form, and thats his price.
Coral are offering 4/7 about him winning this afternoon and at those odds Im prepared to take him on with re-opposing Ascot third Torcedor.
Jessica Harringtons six-year-old is 1lb better off at the weights for that defeat and is value in the rematch at 5/1 with Paddy Power.
There was nothing unlucky about his performance at Ascot, but at the same time Stradivarius is priced up as if he got the job done a lot easier than he actually did.
Torcedor showed as much in the way of guts and tenacity as the winner did that day and will have been much more suited by the recent change in weather conditions.
Some of his best performances have come with plenty of cut in the ground, including when running out an impressive five-length winner of the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot back in May.
Whether he will be quite good enough to repel Stradivarius remains to be seen, but Im expecting a terrific tussle between the pair.
Aidan OBrien steps Idaho up in trip to two miles for the first time and there are reasons to think the extra trip may well be the making of him.
Coral make him a 9/1 shot, which could have made some appeal if the Ballydoyle team were in better form.
OBrien made some negative noises about the stables health last week and for that reason Idaho may be best watched.
Call To Mind was a good third behind Stradivarius at York back in May and has since won over this trip on his travels to New York.
What he actually achieved in form terms there, other than proving that he stays this trip, is open to debate and hes another one Im happy to overlook.
Dal Harraild fans will be hoping the application of blinkers for the first time will help him be competitive, but he is very much in at the deep end here.
As for St Michel, he now has a fair bit to prove as he showed very little on his first start back for nearly a year in Hamburg last month.
He had previously run well in the Lonsdale Cup at York 12 months ago but supporting him requires a huge leap of faith.
If one horse is to outrun his current odds it could well be Desert Skyline who regular followers of this column will remember was hugely disappointing for us in the Ascot Gold Cup.
For whatever reason he just didnt seem to run his race that day and is better judged on his previous second behind Stradivarius at York when attempting to give him 3lbs.
He finished third in this very contest 12 months ago and it would be no surprise to see him bounce back again and fill that same position this afternoon.
Unfortunately for each-way backers there are only the seven runners, meaning bookmakers will only pay out on two places.
BILL ESDAILES GOODWOOD CUP 1-2-3
- Torcedor
- Stradivarius
- Desert Skyline
