Qatar Stewards' Cup, 3:45, Saturday, 1st August

The Stewards’ Cup, run over 6 furlongs, is the betting highlight on the fifth and final day of what is now known as the Qatar Goodwood Festival. A maximum field of 28 runners is set to face the starter on Saturday and, as usual, we’ve selected a few that we think could go well at generous odds.

The first of them, Poyle Vinnie (16/1), did us a favour when making all in the Scottish Stewards’ Cup at Hamilton fifteen days ago and still looks reasonably treated under a 6lb penalty. The Piccolo gelding has officially improved by 34lb since the start of last season but, judged on his Hamilton effort, may not have finished improving just yet. He’s won on soft, good and good to firm going, so shouldn’t be inconvenienced by drying conditions at the West Sussex track between now and Saturday and he’s not badly drawn to execute his usual front-running tactics in stall 4.

Basil Berry (33/1) finished seventh, beaten 5½ lengths, in the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot and ran to a similar level of form, despite being denied a clear run in the closing stages, in a 0-100 contest over 7 furlongs at Haydock four weeks ago. He’s only 2lb higher in the weights than when winning in 0-95 company at Ascot in May, has the services of Silvestre De Sousa, who’s 2-4 on him, and is drawn in the range of stalls that has produced eight of the last ten winners of the Stewards’ Cup.

So far, we’ve selected one drawn low and one drawn in the middle, so it makes some sense to have one drawn high as well. Fortunately enough, our third and final selection, Related (18/1), is drawn right on the stands’ side in stall 24. In fact, David Simcock’s 5-year-old finished two places and 2½ lengths ahead of Basil Berry in the Wokingham Stakes and is just 1lb worse off. He may not be as well drawn as Basil Berry this time, but his fourth of seventeen, beaten just 1¼ lengths, behind Rene Mathis in the Bunbury Cup, over 7 furlongs at Newmarket three weeks ago was another solid effort and he should be thereabouts once again.

So, in order of preference, our three against the field this week are Poyle Vinnie (16/1 generally available), Related (18/1 with Bet365) and Basil Berry (33/1 generally available). Good luck!

2.05 Goodwood, Thursday, July 30

The Land Rover Stakes (2.05) at Goodwood on Thursday is a tight little heat, and not so ‘little’ either, with eighteen runners set to face the starter over the undulating 1 mile 1 furlong and 92 yards at the West Sussex track. Nevertheless, it does provide us with an opportunity for a midweek ‘tilt’ which, as regular readers know, we always find difficult to resist.

The one that immediately takes our eye is Richard Fahey’s Spring Offensive (33/1), who may have had excuses on his two most recent starts and looks feasibly weighted on his best form. The Iffraaj gelding didn’t help his chance by hanging at Sandown two starts ago and took a keen hold when only fifth of six, beaten 1¾ lengths, behind Intiwin at Ayr last month, but is just 3lb higher in the weights than when just touched off in a 0-100 contest, over a mile, on his reappearance at Musselburgh in April.

He wasn’t beaten far at Ayr and the form has already been franked by the third, Get Knotted so, provided the extra two furlongs isn’t beyond him, he could go well at generous odds. He’s actually yet to win beyond 7 furlongs, but seems to get a mile well enough, so he appears to have every chance of staying the extra distance on a course that is fairly sharp in character.

Selection: Goodwood 2.30 Spring Offensive (33/1) to win

3:15 Ascot, Saturday July 25th - Gigaset International Stakes

The Gigaset International Stakes, run over 7 furlongs at Ascot, has produced no winning favourite in the last ten years and winners at 40/1, 33/1 (twice), 25/1, 18/1, 16/1 and 14/1 in the same period, so definitely looks a race in which we have a chance of extending our recent run of good fortune.

Notably, five of the first six finishers in the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket a fortnight ago reoppose but, with the exception of Heaven’s Guest (14/1), none of them have much in the way of course form, so it may be judicious to look elsewhere for this week’s selections.

The first one that takes our eye this week is the complete ‘rag’ Sir Robert Cheval (40/1). Marco Botti’s 4-year-old has yet to win on turf, but has run creditably on all three starts this season and doesn’t look impossibly handicapped on his best form. Indeed, the Green Desert gelding is 7lb better off for 2¾ lengths with Zarwaan (14/1) on their running at Newcastle four weeks ago but is, mystifyingly, available at nearly three times the price. Apprentice Marc Monaghan takes off a useful 3lb and the partnership is well drawn in stall 26, if recent results in the race are anything to go by.

Another ‘rag’, Nakuti (40/1) appeared to put up something approaching a career-best effort when winning the Listed Pipalong Stakes, over a mile, at Pontefract earlier this month and looks fairly treated under a 3lb penalty. The fourth at Pontefract, Rekdhat, was only just touched off in a 0-100 fillies’ handicap last Saturday, off a mark of 91, so there is reason to believe that Nakuti, who had 6¼ lengths in hand, has been underestimated by the bookmakers. Her three career wins have come on good or softer going but, with persistent, heavy rain forecast for Friday afternoon, she could well be in her element.

Veteran Hawkeyethenoo (22/1) was, unsurprisingly, taken off his feet over 5 furlongs at Musselburgh when last seen six weeks ago, but his previous third of twenty-six, beaten 2¾ lengths, behind Speculative Bid over course and distance in May suggested that he may have a major handicap victory left in him. Jim Goldie’s 9-year-old is 8lb better off with the winner this time (and 8lb lower in the weights than when winning the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood three seasons ago), so you ignore the old boy at your peril!

So, in summary, this week’s selections are, in no particular order, Sir Robert Cheval (40/1 with Bet365 and William Hill), Nakuti (40/1 with William Hill) and Hawkeyethenoo (22/1 with Stan James). Good luck!

20:00 York, Friday, July 24

In the Novus Stakes (8.00) at York on Friday, Chiswick Bey has been beaten, but not disgraced, on both starts since winning in 0-90 company over 7 furlongs at Musselburgh last month and remains feasibly weighted for a return to the winners’ enclosure. Indeed, the Elusive City gelding in just 1lb higher in the weights than at the East Lothian track and, while he has yet to win over a mile, has shaped as if a step up in distance might do him some good on recent starts.

His two most recent wins came under apprentice Samantha Bell, who rides stable companion Simply Shining, but he might just benefit from the stronger handling of stable jockey Tony Hamilton, who’s riding quite close to his minimum weight of 8st 7lbs. The Knavesmire isn’t always the easiest place to execute hold up tactics, but Chiswick Bey was placed on both previous visits (albeit a few years ago) and the fact that he’s (presumably) Tony Hamilton’s choice of Richard Fahey’s three runners speaks strongly in his favour.
 

Selection: York 8.00 Chiswick Bey to win