GOODWOOD DAY 2: THREE HIGH-VALUE PICKS & BETTING PREVIEW. Following up on a cracking opening day where we shared 15/2 winner Twilight Calls with site visitors, we return to the Sussex downs looking to keep the punting momentum rolling. Goodwood can be an absolute minefield for bettors with its tricky topography and tactical positioning, but finding the right angles on these big festival days is where the real value sits and where we profit big time.
Here is our breakdown on three selections we are sharing for Wednesday’s card, but before we do check out this list of all 232 UK registered bookies.
GOODWOOD DAY 2: THREE HIGH-VALUE PICKS & BETTING PREVIEW
13:50 – HATTEEN (5/2)
If he is to take up his ambitious entry in the St Leger later in the autumn, HATTEEN simply needs to go and win this contest today. The Andrew Balding-trained three-year-old has done nothing but progress with every trip to the track, and an opening handicap mark of 88 looks remarkably generous on the back of his latest performance. The Class 2 handicap he scooped last time out—cruising clear by a comfortable four and a half lengths—was a warm contest, and the son of Lope De Vega relished every yard of the stepped-up distance.
The colt gets a handy weight allowance from his main market rivals, including the William Haggas-trained Infraad. That fella was heavily supported at Ayr on his previous start, but after blowing the start, he spent the entire race playing catch-up. While he wasn’t beaten far into third, the two that finished in front of him have since let the form down.
For those looking at a bigger price, Ralph Beckett’s Tierra Del Toro warrants a second glance. He is a half-brother to our selection and has posted solid efforts in two competitive handicaps. That said, Hatteen looks a class above handicap company off this mark, and it is hard to see beyond him.
The Verdict: Hatteen looks ahead of the handicapper. With a St Leger entry in his back pocket, he should comfortably handle this field.
15:00 – ZANTHOS (6/1)
The early market move of the morning saw heavy money come for Richard Hughes’s runner Sayidah Dariyan, with Ryan Moore booked for the ride. While a significant market move from a top yard always demands respect, her current odds feel misaligned with her actual performance metrics.
Flora Of Bermuda is stepping up to seven furlongs for the very first time, and there is no guarantee this extra distance will play to her strengths. Furthermore, despite being the highest-rated filly in the contest, carrying a three-pound penalty in a tight race adds a tough physical burden.
ZANTHOS provides the clear value play here. The Crisford-trained daughter of Sioux Nation looked caught flat-footed over six furlongs at Royal Ascot, where stepping into Group 1 company proved a bridge too far. Before that, she struggled to get traction over a mile on heavy ground at Longchamp. Reverting to seven furlongs on fast ground looks like her absolute sweet spot, and this represents a far more manageable assignment than what she has faced recently.
We already know she handles undulating tracks, and having Oisin Murphy back in the saddle—a jockey who knows her inside out—is a massive positive for her chances.
The Verdict: Zanthos gets ideal conditions, a key drop in class, and Oisin Murphy back on board. She is overpriced at 6/1.
7:40 – OLIVER SHOW (7/1)
The closing handicap is a wide-open affair with plenty of questions surrounding the key market contenders. Goldmoyne is far more reliable on the all-weather surface and often looks less than committed on turf. Silver Ghost boasts proven course-and-distance credentials, but her overall strike rate leaves a lot to be desired, and her latest effort was thoroughly disappointing.
Bobby Bennu represents a yard in flying form, but the handicapper hit him with a three-pound rise for merely finishing second last time, and his running style suggests he needs a much stiffer track than Goodwood to show his best. Crimson Spirit with Ryan Moore booked is naturally one for the shortlist. Hawksbill comes from a red-hot stable, but a single victory from 17 career starts isn’t the profile of a prolific winner. As for veteran Rhoscolyn, the David O’Meara eight-year-old is on a dangerously low mark, loves this track, and has drawn well, but he strictly needs soft ground to be at his effective best.
Instead, the vote goes to OLIVER SHOW. If the well-handicapped George Boughey runner settles better early on—which he ought to do tucked away in a big, fast-run field—he holds a massive chance. While the six-year-old has done all his winning on the all-weather to date, he certainly isn’t surface-dependent. He ran a belter over this exact course and distance last time out and has previously posted a couple of cracking efforts on turf at Doncaster. A middle draw is ideal for a horse who likes to be saved for one late burst of acceleration, making him a prime candidate to finish the day on a high.
The Verdict: Oliver Show has the latent ability to defy this mark if he settles into a rhythm. At 7/1, he looks a cracking bet to power home late.
