 |
|
|
|
| Punter's Diary by Malcolm Heyhoe |
 |
| Updated: 27th July 2008 - GG.com |
August's Glory Days
August’s action pitches in at the mid-point of Glorious Goodwood’s fabulous five-day festival, an unfolding tableau of top-class action set against the scenic splendour of Britain’s most beautiful racecourse. Cast one glance at Goodwood and the bad news headlines of boozed-up racegoers, brawling coach parties and tedious boy and girl bands playing after racing seems an irritating footnote to the excellent racing.
 |
On Friday August 1 Luca Cumani will bid to land another Glorious Stakes courtesy of his upwardly mobile Lion Sands, who could well join Alkaseed and Purple Moon as winners of the race for Bedford Lodge. Jeremy Noseda’s Sixties Icon is another that has been earmarked for this listed contest over 1m 4f and his course experience will count for a lot.
On the same day the top mile handicappers occupy a prime slot in the Totesport Mile. A high draw is vital to any hope of success and connections of the Marcus Tregoning-trained Masaalek will on bended knee for this smart three-year-old to secure one of the four high berths while Cumani’s Military Cross is another with strong claims.
Friday’s Richmond Stakes remains one of the week’s more revealing juvenile events while the Oak Tree Stakes is often a 7f thriller for fillies and mares and this year’s renewal may well go the way of Red Dune, a sharp improver from the Michael Jarvis stable with a pacesetting style that should suit Goodwood though Sir Michaels Stoute’s Visit could well be the fly in the ointment.
Goodwood’s final day on August 2 places the fillies once more in the spotlight with a thrilling renewal of the Group1 Nassau Stakes where the winner will come from either Promising Lead or Lush Lashes. The pair represents the best of the older and younger generations and choosing between them is tricky. To muddy the waters further, both horses are trained by handlers that have enjoyed success in this race in past seasons but preference is for Promising Lead.
The Stewards’ Cup gives the handicappers a last knuckle-clenching hurrah on the Saturday and those that ran well in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot such as Knot In Wood and Beaver Patrol will be looking for compensation while Dandy Nicholls has a lively sort in Machinist and rookie handler John Gallagher has a promising type in Mac Gillie Eoin.
The domestic action takes a backseat before the start of an extended four-day Ebor Festival in August with Newmarket hosting the Sweet Solera Stakes on August 9 and over in Chicago the Arlington Million shaping up as the weekend’s best race. South African-trained Archipenko will be a leading fancy for the Chicago showpiece but Mount Nelson might just be the one to add to Aidan O’Brien’s stunning tally of top-class winners this season.
On August 10 Deauville hosts the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest and July Cup hero Marchand D’Or will be bidding to land this race for a second year running while on August 17 the famous seaside course stages another Group 1 in the guise of the Prix Jacques Le Marois and the Alain de Royer-Dupre Sageburg looks a lively contender for this wonderful race.
York’s mouth-watering Ebor fixture has added an extra day to its August bonanza but the high-class action still begins on August 19 with the Group 1 Juddmonte International, a race where fancied horses have largely held sway and any runners from the Aidan O’Brien and Sir Michael Stoute stables should be noted. On the same day the latter handler is targeting the Great Voltigeur Stakes with Doctor Fremantle and seven recent winners of the St Leger have taken part in the York showpiece.
On York’s second day the Ebor Handicap is Europe’s richest race of this type and competition for the prize will be as intense as ever. Luca Cumani has made this race his own in past seasons and Mad Rush, Bauer and Sanbuch look to be his leading contenders while Jeremy Noseda’s Milne Graden rates an intriguing runner especially if he show that he can stay the 1m 6f by running in a race over that distance at Glorious Goodwood.
On August 21 Look Here should take plenty of beating in the Yorkshire Oaks while Godolphin’s Hala Bek looks a fascinating contender for the Strensall Stakes on August 22, the meeting’s final day. Of course the Nunthorpe Stakes ends the Ebor meeting with a bang and King’s Stand and Golden Jubilee Stakes winners Equiano and Kingsgate Native look the two to concentrate upon for a Group 1 glory. Finally, August closes with the Celebration Mile at Goodwood on August 23 where Sir Michael Stoute’s Heaven Sent looks a likely type for this valuable prize.
Malcolm Heyhoe writes weekly horse racing articles for GG.COM-Horse racing betting, information, news, results and free daily tips
Archive July 2008
