DAY one of the 2022 Qatar Goodwood Festival is all about Stradivarius, who is looking to win the Goodwood Cup for the fifth time and if this remarkable eight-year-old achieves this he will get the most fantastic reception at a course where these older flat horses are appreciated so much.
At the time of writing, it looks like Goodwood 2022 will indeed be pretty much Glorious with only 1.5m of rain forecast over the five days according to the Norwegian weather app.
The card starts with a fiendishly difficult Chesterfield Cup and I’m hoping the unlucky Caradoc will enjoy a clear run, whilst in the Lennox Stakes, Unibet Ambassador Richard Hannon can start day one off in style with Lusail taking this Group 2.
Enjoy whether at Goodwood or watching #athome on ITV Racing or Racing TV.
Cheers!
The Wine Tipster
1.50 Goodwood – Chesterfield Cup Handicap (1m 2f)
Caradoc is not the best starter, but he is pretty consistent and although he hasn’t won in these handicaps since September 2019, there was little wrong with his eighth in the John Smith’s Cup at York last time out, when not getting a clear run on three occasions in the last two furlongs. Caradoc has strong Goodwood form, having finished runner-up last year to the smart Migration in this race from stall six. In April this year he was second to Moktassab (reopposes) and he is 7lb better off with Moktassab on that running. Caradoc is rock solid each-way material from stall five with ground conditions fine.
Unibet 13/2 each way
Arqoob won well at Sandown at the Eclipse meeting last time out in a competitive handicap when coming with a smooth run on the outside under a fine ride by Kieran Shoemark, who again is in the plate. Arqoob won with something in hand and can go well again from near the bottom of the weights.
Unibet 12/1 each way
2.25 – Japan Racing Association Vintage Stakes Group 2 (7f)
Dornoch Castle (nap) is definitely worth a look here in a race where you have reservations about the strength of the form of Holloway Boy’s Chesham win – six of those in behind have run since, none of them placed.
Dornoch Castle has impressed on both starts, as he was excellent on debut at Haydock when making all and made most of easy task at Ayr last time. Bound to improve again, likely to try and make all here, and might well do.
Unibet 13/2 each way
3.00 Goodwood – Lennox Stakes Group 2 (7f)
Lusail for Unibet Ambassador Richard Hannon won four times last season, including the Gimcrack Stakes at York. He may not have been victorious in 2022 but he brings strong form to the race with his excellent second to Coroebus in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and his third to Tenebrism in the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville on his last appearance. He won over seven furlongs at the 2021 July meeting and has a strong chance here.
Unibet 9/2 win
Sir Dancealot is now eight, but he’s twice been the winner of the Lennox Stakes and showed a lot more of his old spark when second at Pontefract last time, when still needing the run on his second start after a long absence. On that occasion he was giving lumps of weight away over a trip that’s probably on the short side over six furlongs. Trainer John Butler will have him spot on here and given such a liking for conditions (the quicker the better) he looks great each-way material again.
Unibet 33/1 each way
3.35 Goodwood – Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup Stakes Group 1 (2m)
Stradivarius can take his fifth Goodwood Cup at a course where he is unbeaten and on ground that will be most definitely suit. At the time of writing Trueshan is still in the field, though the ground may just be too quick for him to take part. At Royal Ascot, as is well documented, Stradivarius would have been much closer to Kyprios in the Ascot Gold Cup and may well have beaten him with a clear run. On his previous start Stradivarius had shown that he had lost none of his enthusiasm when comfortably winning the Yorkshire Cup Stakes on seasonal debut. Andrea Atzeni has his fourth ride on Stradivarius, who he won the Goodwood Cup on in 2017 and 2018 and can keep his 100% record on this brilliant horse, who will no doubt be ridden prominently.
Unibet 2/1 win
4.10 Goodwood – Nicholson Gin Handicap (5f)
Embour for Ruth Carr looks laid out for this handicap and there no denying that he shaped much better after a wind operation at Catterick last time when third after not being given a hard ride as this looked very much like a run to see if the wind operation had worked. Embour has form at the track, the cheekpieces go back on again, he has a reasonable draw in the middle and should go close of a falling mark of 82, having last won off 90.
Unibet 12/1 each way
