The Qatar Goodwood
Festival kicks off on Tuesday with the Matchbook Betting Exchange
Stakes (2.00), a Class 2 handicap run over 1 mile 1 furlong and 192
yards. An 18-strong field is due to face the starter and, with more
than half of them available at odds of 16/1, or longer, in the early
price lists a ‘shock’ result is a distinct possibility.
Noble Gift (20/1) has
encountered good to firm going just once, on his racecourse debut at
Newbury four years ago, but has yet to finish outside the first four
on five previous visits to Goodwood, including on good going, so
could be worth chancing even if underfoot conditions are a little
faster than ideal. William Knight’s 6-year-old has been quite
highly tried since winning over 1 mile 4 furlongs at Ripon in April,
but is consequently just 2lb higher in the weights and just 5lb
higher than fourth of 16, beaten 1½ lengths, behind Mount Logan in
this race last year. The Cadeaux Genereux gelding clearly enjoys the
West Sussex air and can make his presence felt once again.
Imshivalla (20/1)
wouldn’t be the most consistent mare in training, but is very
useful on her day and could trouble the best of these if deigning to
put her best foot forward. She was certainly visually very impressive
when travelling strongly and staying on to beat Gold Prince by 1¼
lengths over 1mile 2 furlongs at Epsom three starts ago and remains
just 5lb higher in the weights. She ran the proverbial ‘stinker’
when tailed of tenth of 11, beaten 45 lengths, behind Newzaah in a
Listed race at Newcastle on her penultimate start, but looked on much
better terms with herself over a mile at York last time and the
return to further appears in her favour.
Selections: Goodwood
2.00 Noble Gift (20/1), Imshivalla (20/1)
0 comments:
Post a Comment