Day 5

‘Just’ a 10/1 winner yesterday for Gary but I can tell you he was gutted when Joseph Henry won the sprint. He’s tipped that one so many times before on this blog and was on his shortlist for the race but you just can’t back them all. Anyway, on to today and his tips for 3 of the races….

1.55 Goodwood

There are plenty with a chance in what looks a very competitive handicap but I’m going to side with the team that have been in blistering form all week. Hannon / Hughes team up with Valiant Knight who after winning his maiden has finished 4th and 2nd twice on his last three handicap starts. His last run was at Ascot where the 1m4f just seemed to stretch his stamina after staying on over 1m2f previously. It looks as if Hannon has found a perfect opportunity for him with this 1m3f race. Dangers are a plenty but I’m going to take a chance with big outsider Street Entertainer from the Amanda Perrett yard. Her handicappers are always worth looking out for at this meeting and this one has been dropping like a stone through water in the ratings. The funny thing is he hasn’t been running that badly and with the handicapper giving him a real chance at the weights he could easily run into a place.

Selection: VALIANT KNIGHT 8/1
Danger: STREET ENTERTAINER 33/1

3.40 Goodwood

It’s a bit strange that all my sprint runners have been well beaten this week as these are the types of races that I usually do well in. Hopefully that will all change today with one of my favourite races of the year. In the Stewards Cup I’m pinning my hopes on Striking Spirit who looks to be Dandy Nicholls’s number one hope in the race. His second in the Wokingham to handicap snip Laddies Poker Too with about half of this field strung out behind him looks top class handicap form and a 5lb rise for that effort doesn’t look too harsh. There are plenty I like in the race including old favourites Parisian Pyramid (has won me loads this season), Edge Closer (my big Wokingham fancy), Advanced and Singeur but a dark horse worth an each way interest at a big price may be Ancien Regime who is a 5yo rated 98 and more used to contesting Group 1’s than handicaps. In June 2009 he was rated 110 which would have put him on top weight here but due to his poor recent from he’s now been dropped 12lb. This would be his first run in a handicap since he was 3rd of 19 in a 6F contest at York as a 2yo. He was rated 103 that day and was sent of 5/1 favourite and as he is around 40/1 that looks value to me. Saeed Bin Suroor doesn’t have too many runners in these types of races but this one looks interesting from a good draw.

Selection: STRIKING SPIRIT 16/1
Danger: Ancien Regime 40/1

Again I’m leaving the fillies race and the two 2yo races well alone and going straight to the 5.25 for my final bets of the day….

5.25 Goodwood

Baylini finally transferred her excellent AW form to the turf last week with a win in a similar race to this at Sandown. The first two that day were 7 lengths clear of the third and with just a 4lb penalty to shoulder here will take all the beating. The one I see as the main danger to her is another Amanda Perrett runner Truism who ran a fine third on Tuesday behind the well handicapped Cumani horse Start Right. If that race hasn’t taken too much out of him then this drop in class looks a great opportunity for him to gain a deserved first success of the season.

Selection: BAYLINI 14/1
Danger: Truism 7/2

Good luck,
Gavin (and Gary).

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