A very busy day today all over Great Britain
and it could be a bit of a grueller if I don't fire a winner in from my 5
selections today.
First
up is THE GRAND VISIR in the 2m 4f
handicap at Goodwood who solely gets a mention in this column because he is
guaranteed to stay. This race will really sort them out late on and non stayers
will be well and truly found out. He has a huge weight to carry and is
susceptible to an improver but I'm not sure if there are any so Ian Williams'
horse edges the vote each way. He was unlucky to bump into at Ascot and looks
to have been saved for this.
I'm
a big believer in first impressions and my first impression of STEEL BULL was a very positive one.
Michael O'Callaghan breeze up buy looked a shrewd purchase as he hosed up at
Naas on debut beating a well regarded one of Joseph O'Brien's. He wasn't asked
too many questions that day and only had to be shook up to assert. O'Callaghan
has a fine record when bringing his horses over and wouldn't be bringing him
for the lovely Chichester air alone. This looks a weak Molecomb and he wouldn't
have to be ‘amazing' to win, but I think he is well above average.
I'm
taking the market principles on in the big one and it's a shame there are only
2 places on offer. However, I'm still hopeful that VATICAN CITY can hit the frame at 14/1 with Willie Buick in the
saddle. He would have finished a lot closer to Siskin had he had a clear
passage in the Irish 2000 Guineas and proved a non stayer in the Derby. His
breeding suggests a mile should be his optimum and I think he has so much more
to offer now dropped back to a mile so he rates a really interesting runner in
my opinion.
Away
from Goodwood there is plenty of action to get stuck into also. If the heavens
had opened yesterday I'm pretty sure OUR
LITTLE PONY would have been a 5pt selection here. Lawrence Mullaney's
admirable filly has been very good to me in the past but has performed to her
best when encountering soft ground. She won't get that today but she has proven
she handles a sounder surface and therefore gets the vote to go close today.
She will need them to come back to her late on, but they do get racing early at
Thirsk so I would be hopeful she can reel them in late on.
I
wouldn't be much of a tipster if I didn't try to put one up in the Galway
Plate. I'm not expecting much as you have to have a good deal of fortune to win
such an event but I do think EASY GAME has
a cracking chance at a fair price. He beat Allaho and ran Faugheen a close
second in his first season chasing last term and very much stamped himself as a
classy performer. He didn't show his best at Cheltenham but back into handicap
company here, he could just show his true colours. He is a sound jumper, which
he will need to be, and should be suited to this unique test.
Goodwood 1.45 – The Grand Visir – 1pt e/w
Goodwood 2.45 – Steel Bull – 2pt win
Goodwood 3.15 – Vatican City – 0.5pts e/w
Thirsk 5.00 – Our Little Pony – 1pt win
Galway 6.45 – Easy Game – 1pt e/w
