We share our race-by-race picks for the third day of Glorious Goodwood, including selections for the day’s feature, the Group 1 Nassau Stakes.
GOODWOOD FESTIVAL – DAY 3
Race 1 – INTO BATTLE 6/1
Midnight Gun and Blake (scratched) are sure to attract plenty of support after their recent victories, but the handicapper has not let them off lightly, and their penalties could level the playing field for INTO BATTLE to make an impact.
A maiden/novice winner at the second attempt to round off his juvenile campaign, Ed Walker’s gelding hit the ground running as a three-year-old, winning against Epsom in April before coming a creditable fifth of 13 in the London Gold Cup at Newbury a month later.
He was starved for room when last seen at Sandown in June, which suggests his one-length third needs marking up, and with Hollie Doyle taking his reins for the first time, we could well get another glimpse of Into Battle’s potential here.
Race 2 – THE STRIKIN VIKING 11/10
Wathnan Racing will be hoping THE STRIKIN VIKING lives up to his name in the Markel Richmond Stakes.
The two-year-old has been impressive during his short career to date, claiming a York maiden on debut before finishing half a length behind Henri Matisse in the Group Two Railway Stakes at the Curragh.
Those performances, under trainer Kevin Ryan, led to Wathnan purchasing the son of Inns Of Court last week and The Strikin Viking has since switched stables to Hamad Al Jehani.
Race 3 – JAN BRUEGHEL 91/100
JAN BRUEGHEL is aiming to maintain his unbeaten record when heading the field in the John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes.
The son of Galileo will attempt a mile and a half for the first time as O’Brien’s charge targets a third successive victory.
He blitzed his rivals with an eight-length win on debut before holding off Trustyourinstinct by a neck to secure the Group Three Al Basti Equiworld Dubai International Stakes – both at the Curragh.
The lightly-raced three-year-old faces more experienced rivals but, under the hands of Ryan Moore, his undoubted quality can see him prevail once again.
Race 4 – OPERA SINGER 28/10
OPERA SINGER should hit the right note with victory in the Qatar Nassau Stakes.
Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old star completed her juvenile campaign in style by storming to a five-length success in the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc weekend but has had two near misses on her subsequent starts this season.
She was third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh in May before narrowly going down by a length at Royal Ascot in the Coronation Stakes last time out.
The well-bred daughter of Justify will step up to 10 furlongs for the first time in Sussex, with challenges expected from John and Thady Gosden’s Emily Upjohn, who was supplemented into the race, plus French raider Sparkling Plenty and 1000 Guineas winner Elmalka.
Race 5 – BRIGHTON BOY 15/4
El Burhan ticks all the right boxes as the hat-trick-seeking favourite, but we’re siding with the Andrew Balding/Oisin Murphy team, who appear to have a very capable two-year-old in their hands with BRIGHTON BOY.
Fifth of 14 at Leicester on debut, that early promise was on show again in a close up second of 13 at Salisbury in late June, and he didn’t wait long before converting that promise into a maiden success at the third attempt three weeks ago.
Sent off at Chester as the odds-on favourite, his market support was fully justified as he traveled smoothly throughout before powering clear to win by a serene 3½ lengths.
He looks to be off a decent mark for his handicap debut here, and his chances won’t be harmed by the presence in the saddle of Murphy, who teamed up with Balding’s Jumbeau on Tuesday to open their Goodwood account.
Race 6 – KENALL ROY 33/10
This has all the makings of a wide-open handicap, but it’s hard to look far beyond Kate McGivern’s Irish raider, KENDALL ROY, who lines up boasting an impressive sequence of five wins and two seconds from his last eight outings.
Most of those successes have been on Irish soil, but he showed he is not averse to traveling when kicking off this campaign with back-to-back victories at Windsor and Thirsk.
The three-year-old gelding looked back in that same groove at Cork six days ago, when he put clear daylight between himself and his eight rivals to win by over a length.
If fully recovered from the quick turnaround and the trip across the Irish Sea, then Kendall Roy looks capable of defying his six-pound penalty to chalk up another success for Ryan Moore, who has been booked to ride him for the first time.
Race 7 – STELLENBOSCH 5/1
With a total of just five previous outings from the 13 fresh-faced two-year-olds lining up here, we’re relying more on pedigree than recent form to find a horse worth backing in this seven-furlong sprint.
In such circumstances, any horse emanating from the Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore partnership is sure to be well-backed, so American Pharoah filly, Dreamy, has to be taken seriously as the short-priced favourite.
If those tight odds appear prohibitive, then an each-way punt on STELLENBOSCH might hold more appeal, as Richard Hannon’s young filly looks to build on two third-placed finishes, most recently when keeping on strongly over this distance at Newmarket 13 days ago.
As the most experienced runner in the line-up and with the pedigree of Wootton Bassett behind her, hopes are high that she can carry Pat Dobbs into the frame again here.
Race 8 – QIRAT 9/2
QIRAT will look to take advantage of course knowledge when lining up for the HKJC World Pool Handicap.
The son of Showcasing shone at the Chichester track in May, when he won by a length and three-quarters in a Class Two handicap, albeit over seven furlongs.
This time it will be a mile, the same distance as when finishing sixth in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot and fifth last time out in the bet365 Mile Handicap at Newmarket, and despite carrying top weight, course management could prove the difference for Ralph Beckett’s colt.
