Glorious Goodwood Festival 2020 Tips - Day Three

We’re approaching the half-way stage at the Qatar Goodwood festival, and we’ve already seen some tremendous action on the Sussex downs.

Mohaather stole Wednesday’s headlines when storming home in the Qatar Sussex Cup, while Steel Bull was a very impressive winner of the Group 3 Markel Insurance Molecomb Stakes for Ireland.

Victory for Mohaather at Group 1 level was trainer Marcus Tregoning’s first on the highest stage since he won the Derby in 2006 with Sir Percy, and it was a long overdue success.

There’s more Group 1 action on day three with the Qatar Nassau Stakes for fillies and mares, and pundits Harry Reynolds and Ben Wignall have once again cast their eyes over the eight race card.

Fancy Blue is looking for a second Group 1 win in the Qatar Nassau Stakes.

13.10 - Mirabeau En Provence Handicap

Harry Reynolds – BAL MAL is unbeaten in five starts over the minimum trip, and I’ll take that streak to improve to six in the opener. George Rooke takes a handy five pounds of his back too, and is in terrific form of late.

Ben Wignall – Quite a few of these re-oppose from a Goodwood handicap in June, where Electric Ladyland won narrowly from Caspian Queen. She carried four pounds more than SPANISH ANGEL that day, and will have to carry nine more in this race. I see no reason why Spanish Angel can’t turn the tables here, especially with Oisin Murphy piloting.

13.45 - Unibet You're On Handicap

HR – Despite racing exclusively on the all-weather in his three career starts, AL SALT has some pretty smart form and could be vastly underrated by a mark of 88. Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, Jim Crowley and William Haggas have all been in the winner’s enclosure regularly of late, so this connection bodes well.

BW – There is a few potential group-class horses in here, and AL SALT may be one of them. On his second start, the William Haggas gelding beat Tilsit, who then went on to record a 19-length success at Newcastle next time out. It looks a tough race to work out and it may be worth taking a chance on this unexposed Sheikh Hamdan horse.

14.15 – Qatar Richmond Stakes (Group 2)

HR – I don’t think there’s very much depth to this race whatsoever, except for YAZAMAN. His form behind Tactical is comfortably the best in here, and he had Qaader three lengths back that day. Admiral Nelson has a lot of questions to answer after his Coventry Stakes blow out too.

Yazaman (right) was narrowly denied at Group 2 level last time out.

BW – I’ve backed YAZAMAN in all three of his runs, and in his last two he has found just Tactical too good in the Windsor Castle Stakes and the July Stakes respectively. With The Queen’s horse skipping Goodwood, this gives the Haggas horse a great chance to get his head back in-front. He’s clearly a complicated horse having worn blinkers since his first start, but he’s very talented.

14.45 - John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes (Group 3)

HR – I’m preparing to follow MOGUL off a cliff, and I’m going to give the brother of the multiple Group 1 winner Japan another chance. I’ll put a line through both his starts this season, as he needed the run at Royal Ascot and the Derby was a mess, and his sibling improved considerably with racing at three. I really like Al Aasy following a comfortable Newmarket success but fear he may need further, and English King could still be anything. This will be a fascinating race to watch.

BW – The much-hyped English King returns here, along with other Epsom Derby runners Khalifa Sat, Mogul and Highland Chief, but AL AASY looked so impressive when winning the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket’s July Festival. He steps down a furlong in trip here and has a three-pound penalty, but he looked so classy last time out and he could be in contention for much bigger races than this by the end of the season.

15.15 – Qatar Nassau Stakes (Group 1)

HR – You could flip a coin between the winning machine Nazeef and FANCY BLUE for my money. Preference is narrowly for the latter, in receipt of nine pounds in the weight-for-age allowance, and confirmed stamina for this trip. I’m not totally sure Nazeef wants this extra two furlongs, and Fancy Blue fought very gamely to land Classic success for Donnacha O’Brien in the Prix de Diane against some smart rivals.

BW – There is some serious Group 1 form in this race, with globetrotter Magic Wand and last years winner Deirdre turning up here. John Gosden’s Nazeef is clearly a filly on the rise having won her last six starts, going from maiden to Group 1 winner, but FANCY BLUE gave Donnacha O’Brien a win at the top level very early in his training career when winning the Prix de Diane earlier this month against a strong field, and she’s the one I fancy to take all the beating here.

15.45 - Gusbourne Nursery Handicap

HR – Having found one too good on two occasions, I am a little concerned about RUNNING BACK’s ability to win a race like this, but at the prices he’s a decent bet. If Qaader proves me wrong earlier in the card then that would embolden Running Back’s claims, as my selection was behind him on debut.

BW – RUNNING BACK bumped into a good one on debut at Newbury, who went on to finish second in the Coventry Stakes, and just failed to get the better of a Stoute first-timer at Kempton last time. It’s hard to decipher this field so it’s not a selection I’m massively confident on, but the horse seems to have a lot of potential.

16.20 – British European Breeders Fund EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes

HR – TEODOLINA made an impression when staying on late for third on debut at Newmarket, with dual-winner Miss Jingles in behind her in sixth. That form, natural improvement and the fact that Richard Hannon’s yard are on fire make her a warm order in this.

BW – Richard Hannon’s TEODOLINA debuted in a Newmarket maiden earlier in the month and finished third. The sixth in that race has since won at Sandown so this horse can take a step forward and be victorious here. She’s a Kodiac filly and he is a very good sire of juveniles, and he could add another winner to his collection here.

16.55 - Tatler Nursery Handicap

HR – Having raced against some smart rivals on her first two starts, WINTER POWER bolted up by five lengths on her first appearance on turf on Monday. The penalty she carries here shouldn’t be enough to stop her following that up.

BW – Winter Power won very easily on her nursery debut last week, but DIFFERENT FACE was second behind Yazaman on debut, then won next time out at Lingfield on the all-weather. There could be a lot more improvement to come from this horse, and Simon and Ed Crisford are in decent form as of late.

Selections

Harry Reynolds

13.10 Bal Mal 10/3

13.45 Al Salt 7/2

14.15 Yazaman 7/4

14.45 Mogul 5/1

15.15 Fancy Blue 2/1

15.45 Running Back 6/1

16.20 Teodolina 9/4

16.55 Winter Power 8/11

Ben Wignall

13.10 Spanish Angel 15/2

13.45 Al Salt 7/2

14.15 Yazaman 7/4

14.45 Al Aasy 9/2

15.15 Fancy Blue 2/1

15.45 Running Back 6/1

16.20 Teodolina 9/4

16.55 Different Face 7/1