An eight-race offering from Goodwood on Saturday afternoon (1.15pm-5.15pm) features a trio of pattern races and is headlined by the Group 2 Celebration Mile (3.35pm).
The going is set to be soft and that will favour some of the leading contenders. Our racing expert provides selections for all the action from the Sussex Downs.
1.15 – Ladbrokes Giving Extra Places Every Day EBF Fillies’ Novice Auction Stakes (6f)
Ten go to post in the opener but it may ultimately concern Lullaby Moon, Crazy Luck and ROSEMARY AND THYME, unless Clive Cox’s newcomer Spirit Of The Bay turns out to be above average. Lullaby Moon starts for a third time and for a third different trainer and surely must be better than her Newbury Super Sprint run last month. She’s not dismissed in haste but Hughie Morrison’s Rosemary And Thyme earns the nod. She shaped with promise on debut at this track in June and was too keen at Newbury this month on second start. If James Doyle gets her settled a step forward is likely.
Tip: Rosemary And Thyme @ 10/3
1.50 – Ladbrokes Prestige Stakes (Fillies’ Group 3, 7f)
A field of six and a wide open Group 3 contest for the fillies in prospect. Prado and Pomelo are once-raced winners and the latter in particular looked especially promising at Newbury. Ralph Beckett’s charge is entitled to leading claims but this is no gimme. Richard Hannon runs THANK YOU NEXT, who looks a big price having shaped well at the Glorious meeting last month and winning a Newmarket nursery over this trip since. There’s more to come and she’s worth a tilt at this prize.
Tip: Thank You Next @ 8/1
2.25 – Brian Chattaway Celebrating 50 Years At Ladbrokes Handicap (7f)
A puzzling headache and one in which Magical Wish and Breath Of Air have solid claims, while the likes of Cardsharp and Oh This Is Us could easily bounce into form and score. BATTERED is a former C&D winner and while it’s been three years since he won, he missed the entirety of 2018 and rarely looked at his best last year. Last month’s reappearance here was promising and he’s forgiven a lesser run since at Chester. Oisin Murphy rides more Goodwood winners than anyone else and his mount is on a nice mark.
Tip: Battered @ 5/1
3.00 – Ladbrokes March Stakes (Group 3, 1m6f)
Just four runners and no shocks if Subjectivist – placed here last month in the Lennox Stakes and unsuited in the Great Voltigeur at York since – attempts to make all for last year’s winning trainer/jockey combo. That won’t be easy as CABALETTA ran a good second over C&D in the Lillie Langtry at the Glorious meeting behind Enbihaar and Roger Varian’s filly has scope for better still over this trip while she gets weight from her main rival now back against her own age-group.
Tip: Cabaletta @ 2/1
3.35 – Ladbrokes Celebration Mile Stakes (Group 2, 1m)
A strong seven-runner line-up for the feature contest. Regal Reality was back near his best at Salisbury recently dropped to the mile in a first-time visor and is respected while chances are SIR BUSKER is worth a go in this company. Benbatl may have had a class edge in this contest but his defection opens up the door and Silver Hunt Cup winner Sir Busker, who impressed in a narrow defeat at York last time out, can land the spoils.
Tip: Sir Busker @ 10/3
4.10 – Ladbrokes Get Your Daily Odds Boost Handicap (1m6f)
FRONTISPIECE and Dance To Paris are two worth keeping onside here, both having rattled the crossbar recently.
Amanda Perrett’s charge gets the nod having gone down in second behind a progressive winner at Newbury 13 days ago. He’s only rated 1lb higher today and he should relish the cut in the ground that is forecast. He can be hard to pass if Ryan Moore gets him to the front.
Tip: Frontispiece @ 6/1
4.45 – Ladbrokes Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap (1m1f)
He may have returned an SP of 50/1 when winning at the Glorious meeting last month but Gary Moore didn’t seem too surprised that JUNKANOO justified his decision to race from 3lb out of the handicap. He beat a couple of useful sorts that day and his new mark of 84 seems very workable, especially with his locally-based trainer optimistic that he’ll prove better with some juice underfoot.
Tip: Junkanoo @ 5/2
5.15 – Ladbrokes Supporting ‘Children With Cancer UK’ Fillies’ Handicap (6f)
A maiden she remains but there was plenty to like about the turf debut of YUKON MISSION at Pontefract recently. John Quinn’s filly didn’t enjoy the best run through and looked to have more to give in staying on late to be third. From an unchanged mark she can surely win a race of this nature soon. Irish import Eastern Star lurks on a lowly mark and is another that ought to oblige before long.
Tip: Yukon Mission @ 3/1
*All odds correct at time of writing
