Former Talksport man Charlie McCann marks your card and previews the action at Goodwood, Newmarket & Lingfield. View Selections below
John Gosden has a very strong hand in Saturday’s feature Gp 1 Nassau Stakes on the final of Glorious Goodwood with stable jockey William Buick choosing Izzi Top over The Fugue (3.15), but I favour the latter dropping back from 12f in receipt of 9lbs from the older filly. The selection was, arguably, unlucky not to win the Oaks back in June and was not quite at her best at Royal Ascot last time.
Nahrain will appreciate stepping back up in trip but she was very disappointing on her seasonal reappearance at Royal Ascot when the stable were confident of a big run. The return to 10f will suit and connections are hopeful of a good second half of the season for the filly but she took a step backwards on her reappearance and others are preferred.
The Blue Square Stewards’ Cup is one of the biggest betting races of the year and is always a tricky puzzle to solve. Palace Moon carries top weight but he has a touch of class and must go close for the leading jockey at the meeting Tom Queally; preference, however, is for Andrew Balding’s Dungannon (3.55) who ran a cracker at 5f last time and may have found the ground too quick when disappointing on his sole start here last year.
Es Que Love is a confirmed front-runner and he should tow the selection (and Palace Moon) along with Kieren Fallon taking over; of those drawn low Victoire De Lyphar can go well from the foot of the weights having run well on ground softer than ideal at Hamilton last time. Interestingly trained Dandy Nicholls has saddled the winner three times in 2000, 2005 and 2010 so perhaps we should wait till 2015 to back his horses in the race!
Dominate (5.05) ran as well as can be expected in the Gp 3 Molecomb Stakes at the minimum distance earlier in the week and looks ready for a step back up in trip in the 6f nursery for Richard Hannon
Landaman (5.40) has already shown earlier in the season that he can take racing twice in a short space of time and he is expected to follow up his victory in the curtain-raiser to the Goodwood Festival on Tuesday by landing the race that brings the curtain down on Goodwood 2012 for Mark Johnston; that was a massive effort to win from his wide draw and he has a kinder stall to overcome dropping back a furlong in trip.
As long as the ground doesn’t soften I think the drop back to 7f will suit Sir Fredlot (2.20) at Newmarket having palpably failed to stay the mile at Ascot last time; if he learnt to settle he would be a fair animal but there looks plenty of pace in the race and he can return to winnings ways.
Dundonnell (6.30) ran in a fair maiden at Newmarket when third to Ghurair who didn’t exactly frank the form at Goodwood midweek but remains a colt of real potential. The selection can break his maiden tag at Lingfield before going on to better things; he holds engagements in many of the leading juvenile races at the end of the season and must go close although Hasanan I know is considered much better by the yard than he has shown on the track to date.
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Be lucky
Charlie
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