Galway & Glorious Goodwood - Tips for the Week

 The Galway Festival & Glorious Goodwood - Fancies for the week

Glorious Goodwood

There is some great racing ahead this week with both Jumps & The Flat taking centre stage🏇but will the rain throw up some big-priced winners? ☔

Monday 31st July 

Galway 5.10pm: Novice Hurdle 

Top trainer Willie Mullins has won this race five times in the last ten renewals. His contender MYSTICAL POWER, sired by GALILEO and out of Champion Hurdle winner ANNIE POWER, has a strong pedigree. 

With a 7Ibs weight advantage over most of the field and the pedigree suggesting he will be able to handle softer ground, he looks promising at even money. The stable will be hopeful for bigger targets in the future.

MYSTICAL POWER to win at 1/1.

Galway 6.10pm: Maiden

I fancied MYTHOLOGY in a maiden a couple of weeks ago, and he showed improvement over 7f and softer ground, finishing behind potential star HENRY LONGFELLOW. This field lacks that level of potential, and with the possibility of soft ground, I'll be disappointed if he doesn't secure his maiden win here.

MYTHOLOGY to win at 6/4.

Galway 6.40pm: Handicap

The selection here is based on the expected rain, which suits ZINC WHITE, as his best performance was on soft ground when winning the Chester Cup. Despite running off 92, the 7Ibs claimer brings him down effectively to 85 only 1Ib higher than his Chester Cup win. With the softer ground, he's capable of going close in this race.

ZINC WHITE each way at 12/1.

Tuesday 1st August 

Goodwood 4.35pm: Goodwood Cup (Group 1)

COURAGE MON AMI, the Gold Cup winner, is the favourite, but he needs to prove himself on soft ground. 

I believe COLTRANE is the bet here, as he's been a consistent performer at this level and has the potential to handle the softer ground, with both his Sire and Dam having won races on Heavy ground. 

I'm not sure there's too much between these two horses & I fancy COLTRANE to reverse the form with COURAGE MON AMI in this race.

COLTRANE to win at 3/1.

Wednesday 2nd August 

Goodwood 2.25pm: Whispering Angel Oak Tree Stakes  (Group 3)

BREEGE catches my each-way attention in this race. To me, her best form in the book is finishing 6L behind BLUE ROSE CEN on very soft ground,  particularly over a mile. 

With the rain coming, I believe the conditions will be favourable for her. Dropping back to 7f, her Dam's sole success on Heavy ground suggests this distance on softer ground will suit her well. I'm hopeful she'll follow in her Dam's footsteps and put up a good performance.

BREEGE each way at 9/1.

Goodwood 3.00pm: Molecomb Stakes  (Group 3)

BAHEER catches my eye as the fancy in this race. Despite missing out at Royal Ascot, he showed promise by winning comfortably at Newbury over 6f in his last outing. The stable seems to rate him highly, and he appears to have the physique of a strong sprinter. 

Dropping back to 5f and the likelihood of soft ground, BAHEER should handle the conditions well, considering his comfortable win over 6f. As long as the rain doesn't compromise his speed significantly, I'm confident he will maintain his upward trajectory in this race. 

BAHEER each way at 12/1.

Galway 6.40pm: Galway Plate  (Handicap Grade 3)

Back to the Jumps action here & ENNISKERRY has a good track record at Galway, finishing in the frame twice here before. He's unexposed over 2m6f and has shown promise in his 3 chase runs, winning 2 of them, including a course victory. 

He blew the cobwebs off nicely with a smart win on the flat last time out & while there's some uncertainty about his performance on soft ground, he has shown some early form on it. 

There's a possibility he's ahead of the handicapper with only 3 chase runs to his name and the fact has not run over this distance before. At the prices, it's worth taking a chance on him.

ENNISKERRY each way at 10/1.

Thursday 3rd August 

Goodwood 3.35pm: Nassau Stakes (Group 1)

BLUE ROSE CEN looks hard to beat, especially with the weight allowance and ability to handle any ground thrown her way. NASHAW showed promise at Newmarket and won this race last year, but BLUE ROSE CEN still fits into the "could be anything" category and is the most likely winner.  

If she stays odds against I think she is a good bet, however, if BREEGE runs well on Wednesday, I imagine she could be odds on by the time this race comes around. 

BLUE ROSE CEN to win at 11/10.

Galway 5.05pm: Galway Hurdle (Handicap Grade 3)

ZARAK THE BRAVE showed promise by splitting Grade 1 winners LOSSIEMOUTH & GALA MARCEAU in Grade 1 at Punchestown. 

His last race in France may not have been ideal due to being ridden too far the pace, but he's back at 2m, where his best form lies. 

It's intriguing that he was favoured over stablemate LOSSIEMOUTH last year when they first locked horns. LOSSIEMOUTH then went on to win the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham. The stable seemed to believe in his ability that day, and I think he still has potential and could be the dark horse with Grade 1 ability in this race.

ZARAK THE BRAVE each way at 9/1.

Friday 4th August 

Goodwood 3.00pm: Golden Mile (Handicap)

If he runs here ill be going back to the well with INTELLOGENT. I first put him up as my first longshot of the blog, with the thought that he was running off a winnable mark, but he refused to leave the stalls that day.

This means that he still has a mark of 100 for this race & being a Group 1 winner in France back in 2018, I do think he's becoming well-handicapped. Despite not running on soft ground over this side of the English Channel, he does have early career form on soft to heavy ground over in France. 

I'd be hoping if he leaves the stalls this time he can run a big race. 

INTELLOGENT each way at 25/1.

The Bets 📑

Monday 31st July 

Galway 5.10pm: MYSTICAL POWER to win at 1/1.

Galway 6.10pm: MYTHOLOGY to win at 6/4.

Galway 6.40pm: ZINC WHITE each way at 12/1.

Tuesday 1st August 

Goodwood 4.35pm: COLTRANE to win at 3/1.

Wednesday 2nd August 

Goodwood 2.25pm: BREEGE each way at 9/1.

Goodwood 3.00pm: BAHEER each way at 12/1.

Galway 6.40pm: ENNISKERRY each way at 10/1.

Thursday 3rd August 

Goodwood 3.35pm: BLUE ROSE CEN to win at 11/10.

Galway 5.05pm: ZARAK THE BRAVE each way at 9/1.

Friday 4th August 

Goodwood 3.00pm: INTELLOGENT each way at 25/1.

That Rounds up my bets for this upcoming week Good Luck 🤞

PLEASE NOTE THERE WON'T BE ANY WEEKEND SELECTIONS THIS WEEK. BUT ILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK.

Please let me know how you think I can improve the blog. I will endeavour to listen to all suggestions and ideas.