Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle reveals her thoughts on the big handicap of the day on Saturday, the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood.
Dream chance for Owen in Stewards’ Cup
Twenty-eight runners rampaging down the hill at Goodwood in one of the most famous handicaps in world racing is a sight to savour and this weekend’s Coral Stewards’ Cup Handicap (3.35) certainly lives up to expectations.
It’s anyone’s race but I cannot get away from James Owen’s likely favourite Far Above Dream who has the form, the track experience, and the draw in his favour. The four-year-old ran a career-best to finish a close fourth in the Wokingham, just behind his talented stable mate Soldier’s Tree, after scoring over this course and distance in May.
He has progressed up the handicap but can race off the same mark as he did at The Royal Meeting and can prove his liking for the cut and thrust of a big field handicap for an upwardly mobile trainer.
All-Weather winner has solid course form
Another on my shortlist for the Stewards’ Cup is Ollie Sangster’s Tuco Salamanca – an exciting ride for young Irish ace Dylan Browne-McMonagle.
Though his recent wins have been achieved on the All-Weather, including in good company at Newcastle last month, he does have solid course form to his name and has a handy middle draw.
In last weekend’s blog I put up Charles Hills’s lightly raced seven-year-old Mitbaahy as my ‘Hot Shot’ so won’t be surprised if he makes the frame at big odds on the back of that second in the Group Three Hackwood Stakes at Newbury.
Star to deny Waardah a second win in Langtry
Santorini Star has the class and the constitution to add the Group Two Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes (3.00) on Saturday to her Group Two victories in the Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster and the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket.
William Haggas’s five-year-old had a rare blip in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot but this is an ideal assignment for a mare who stays well and, crucially, has winning form at the track.
Her closest market rival will be the Owen Burrows-trained Waardah, who won this race last year and found only subsequent Group One Pretty Polly Stakes Winner Estrange too good in a Group Three at Carlisle last time. She is entitled to come on for her first outing since last Autumn, but Santorini Star’s overall profile is more compelling.
Three in a row for veteran Al Aasy
William Haggas holds the key to the Group Three Coral Glorious Stakes (2.25) on Saturday with market leaders Al Aasy and Opportunity, but I am expecting the veteran to win this race for the third year in a row.
Tom (Marquand) will be looking to smuggle him into the race, just as Jim Crowley did 12 months ago, and can expect another committed performance from Shadwell’s wonderful Sea The Stars gelding.
Seemingly as good as ever and proven on the track, he can get the better of Wathnan Racing’s Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes hero Opportunity who took his form to a new level at Royal Ascot but needs to find more on this step back into Group company.
O’Brien gelding can build on Royal Ascot form
Godolphin’s Valedictory will be well supported in the Highclere Castle Gin Summer Handicap (1.50) on Saturday, and rightly so, but I am taking him on with Irish raider Aeronautic, who can improve on his third in the race last year.
Joseph O’Brien’s five-year-old struck me as a winner waiting to happen when finishing fourth in the Copper Horse Stakes at the Royal Meeting. He hasn’t won for a long time but has proven he can be highly competitive off this mark of 97.
Valedictory won over course and distance in May when he was transformed by the cheekpieces but a three-pound rise for a narrow win at Newmarket last time demands more from John and Thady Gosden’s gelding.
Another to consider is Charlie Johnston’s Northumberland Plate Victor Align The Stars who took this prize two years ago but has never won off a triple digit rating.
Time for talented Jack to shine
Promising apprentice Jack Nicholls can make a name for himself in the Phase Eight Handicap (4.10) on Saturday when he partners Naval Light for his in-form boss Karl Burke.
The three-year-old carries a relatively low weight and Jack’s three-pound claim can give him a decisive edge in this higher grade following wins at Pontefract and Catterick this summer.
Startled has been running well for Richard Hughes who has enlisted another talented claimer in Harry Vigors for this assignment. He looks fairly treated on his course and distance second in May so should be in the mix.
Billy was just brilliant on stunning Echo
Bow Echo produced the performance of the week at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, showing a blistering turn of foot to win the Group One Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes (4.10, Wednesday) and extend his unbeaten record to six.
He’s clearly a very special talent – a comment that applies to his young jockey Billy Loughnane, who has shown a maturity beyond his years on George Boughey’s superstar.
It takes a special horse to get out of the kind of difficult situation he found himself in on the Downs but a top-class jockey to execute a victory as Billy did so coolly. It was a great ride that will live long in the memory of racing fans and one I thoroughly enjoyed watching.
Oxygen chamber is helping my recovery
Since coming out of hospital following my fall in May, I’ve been using a hyperbaric oxygen chamber which we’ve had installed at home, and the results are encouraging.
The chamber basically increases air pressure to deliver pure one hundred per cent oxygen into your bloodstream which helps with healing. Sitting in there for an hour a day has become part of my rehabilitation routine now.
I’m also continuing with my gym programme and physiotherapy at Oaksey House in Lambourn five days a week but still don’t have any idea of a comeback date at this stage.
