Goodwood Racing Betting Tips
Goodwood's May Festival concludes on Saturday afternoon with a seven-race offering headlined by Listed fare via the Cocked Hat Stakes and the Height Of Fashion Stakes.
They race at Goodwood from 13:30-16:55 on Saturday afternoon, with conditions set to be 'good-good to soft in places' and we've got race-by-race predictions for all the action.
13:30 - Harroways Handicap
BOB MALI got himself rather worked up in the preliminaries at Chester last time and the Sands Of Mali gelding may be worth forgiving that effort. He had returned to action at Newmarket (6f, good to soft) in April with a fine second behind Double Rush in a competitive Class 2 contest, on what was his first start for new trainer Charles Hills. He's rated 1lb higher now but could figure here on just his second time tackling 7f (first came on heavy ground).
Selection: Bob Mali @ 11/1
14:05 - British Stallion Studs EBF Cocked Hat Stakes
Opportunity beat a solid yardstick to score on second start/seasonal return over this trip at Haydock last month and William Haggas' Frankel colt merits the step up in class, but he may do well to topple this month's course winner AMILOC for Ralph Beckett and Richard Kingscote. He took his record to 3-3 in that smooth mile success, getting stronger towards the finish. He looks sure to relish this extra distance and could tee himself up for a Royal Ascot outing by landing this prize.
Selection: Amiloc @ SP
14:35 - James Reid 60th Birthday EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes
Just six runners here and the pair that have run - Lady Cassien and Supreme Diamond - don't set the bar too high, so the quartet of newcomers must be watched. We haven't seen much from Roger Varian's juvenile crop thus far, but the stable are in fine fettle and Dark Angel filly COMING ATTRACTION was a 340,000gns purchase with some smart winners in the family. She could be up to this opening test.
Selection: Coming Attraction @ SP
15:15 - Height Of Fashion Stakes
John & Thady Gosden's Queen Of Thieves folded rather tamely from the front in the Cheshire Oaks recently and has to put that behind her, while Victoria Harbour (Karl Burke) and Perfect Your Craft (Ralph Beckett) are possible improvers. So, too, is JANEY MACKERS for the David Menuisier team. Her comeback in this grade at Newmarket was disappointing, but perhaps it was needed and the rattling quick ground may not have been to her liking. She won her maiden stylishly on soft at Doncaster last backend and it's too soon to give up on her.
Selection: Janey Mackers @ 11/1
15:45 - Handicap
John & Thady Gosden's Frankel colt FRENCH MASTER won novice events at Doncaster and Kempton over 1m4f either side of a break last season and was well touted for this month's comeback at Newmarket, where he made his handicap bow off a mark of 95 in Class 2 company. He was second to a Godolphin runner that got first run that afternoon, four lengths clear of everything else. The winner has run well in a Group 3 since and the fourth also won next time. Nudged up 1lb and with the extra distance likely to suit, Robert Havlin's partner has plenty going for him.
Selection: French Master @ SP
16:20 - Darley British EBF Fillies' Restricted Novice Stakes
STATEIRA looked above-average in her winning Southwell debut over 7f in February despite an SP of 28/1. Andrew Balding's chestnut filly was only third at Kempton upped to the mile next time, but that was a warm contest on paper with six last-time-out scorers in the field. She didn't quite have the acceleration of some of her rivals initially when asked but stayed on well and should be suited upped in trip/class now. The winner of that Kempton event has bagged a Listed race at York this month and the second was runner-up in the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket, so it's a run to be viewed in positive light with hindsight.
Selection: Stateira @ SP
16:55 - Goodwood Horseracing Club Membership Handicap
The only race over the flying five furlongs finishes the card. Xanthe warrants close inspection on her first outing since the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot last summer. Richard Hannon's filly is low mileage. KINETIC FORCE had a torrid trip at Chester last time, trapped wide and fading late on. He is much better drawn now and had previously scored from the front at Bath in pleasing fashion. He might soon prove equal to this mark.
Selection: Kinetic Force @ SP
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation