Neil Morrice’s Qatar Goodwood Festival Best Bets Day 2

GOODWOOD

Race 1 No5 HATTEEN

Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: Oisin Murphy

HATTEEN split BAY ROYALE and INFRAAD at Nottingham earlier in the year in one of the best novices of its type run this season. The trio are very closely matched in this good betting heat but taking stock of his impressive subsequent Doncaster triumph HATTEEN should come out on top. He gained a free entry into the St Leger on that move up to a mile and a half on the Town Moor and has done well both physically and mentally in the interim. He’s well drawn to get a handy early position and has the champ in the irons for a stable that can hardly go wrong. There could be a plunge on him and that means getting involved as early as possible. CANNES has an Irish St Leger entry but needs to bounce back from a disappointing effort in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot. If doing so he will be competitive.

Prediction: 1st HATTEEN, 2nd Bay Royale, 3rd Cannes, 4th Infraad

Race 3 ROLLS-ROYCE OAK TREE STAKES (Group 3)

No13 PLANET SEEKER

Trainer: Ralph Beckett – Jockey: Jamie Spencer

Making the jump from a handicap into this Group 3, PLANET SEEKER has abundant potential and hails from a stable that excels with fillies of her ilk. The daughter of Blue Point has power both in front and behind her saddle and when scoring on only a fourth career start at Newmarket did so by a wide margin. She needs to step up but has the potential to do so in the popular silks of Jeff Smith. SAYIDAH DARIYAN also needs to be considered stretching out to 1400 metres for the first time, and her run in the Group 1 Jubilee Stakes is better than a ninth placing indicates. ZANTHOS hasn’t had her conditions so far this term, but maybe the move to this trip will prove key for her. FLORA OF BERMUDA brings the best form to the table after troubling the judge in a Group 1, and if seeing out the slightly longer trip will surely finish in the shake-up.

Prediction: 1st PLANET SEEKER, 2nd Flora Of Bermudan, 3rd Zanthos, 4th Sayidah Dariyan

Race 4 VEUVE CLICQUOT MOLECOMB STAKES (Group 3)

No11 PERSHAADA

Trainer: Richard Hannon – Jockey: Sean Levey

By proving herself the best of three fillies engaging with eight males, PERSHAADA can also take the spoils by way of her electric all round speed. The selection had CROWNBREAKER a place behind her in the Queen Mary and the last named filly gave the form a boost by going on to pick up a Listed race in France. Furthermore, Hannon is looking for a third win in the race from its last six runnings and his representative looks the perfect type who gained her sole career success over the course and distance in the Spring. RULER’S PRIDE struggled at Royal Ascot but had excelled on her debut. Her big home reputation is a tad tarnished, and she needs to go out and show she’s not a paper tiger.

Prediction: 1st. PERSHAADA, 2nd Crownbreaker, 3rd Ruler’s Pride

Race 5 VISIT QATAR SUSSEX STAKES (Group 1)

No12 ZAVATERI (Each Way)

Trainer: Eve Johnson Houghton – Jockey: Charles Bishop

All eyes in the blue riband of the week will be on 2000 Guineas winner BOW ECHO as he bids to extend a five race unblemished record for George Boughey and Billy Loughnane. The subsequent St James Palace Stakes hero can consolidate his superiority over Coolmore’s GSTAAD, who chased his shadow both at Newmarket and Royal Ascot. Only a short head separated them last month but BOW ECHO’s margin of victory would have been greater had he not met with some early interference which necessitated him being redirected wide of the field turning into the short home straight. Three-year-olds have a very good record in the all-aged contest and another of that age group who can go well is ZAVATERI. He landed the Group 1 National Stakes at the Curragh last summer before finishing fourth in the Dewhurst which was the best race run for juvenile colts in 2025. The son of Without Parole gave a good account when reappearing in the Greenham, and while arriving too late to catch Alparslan probably needed it. A setback ruled him out of the Guineas but he’s the subject of good vibes from the Blewbury gallops, and at around 20-1 could be seriously over priced.

Prediction: 1st ZAVATERI, 2nd Bow Echo, 3rd Gstaad

Race 7 No14 RHOSCOLYN (Each Way)

Trainer: David O’Meara – Jockey: Oisin Murphy

RHOSCOLYN is one to be seriously interested in granted the very good overall record of the eight-year-old at this course. While not averse to running on consecutive days at the meeting, as he did when scoring over 1600 metres last season, he’s won here on five separate occasions and is the proverbial standing dish. It’s best to ignore his efforts in four defeats this season as everything is directed into bringing him here competing off the right mark and in the best physical form, which under the champion jockey he will be. He enjoys a plum draw three off the rail and is one to jump on at the earliest convenience. In a competitive affair others to include in exactas, trifectas and quartets are CRIMSON SPIRIT, GOLDMOYNE and his stablemate PELLITORY who looked to be returning to form when second at York but is not so well drawn.

Prediction: 1st RHOSCOLYN, 2nd Goldmoyne, 3rd Crimson Spirit, 4th Pellitory