Over 400 of Great Britain’s roughly 450 licensed jockeys have yet to win a single race at Group One level. Frankie Dettori, by contrast, has won nine since the end of May and he will be a hot favourite to reach double figures when he rides Stradivarius in Tuesday’s Goodwood Cup, the feature event on day one of Glorious Goodwood. Stradivarius pushed the betting industry towards a Dettori-driven meltdown when he took the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot last month, taking his rider to four wins from four on the day.
No chances will be taken this timeand John Gosden’s five-year-old is expected to start odds-on at around 8-11 as he tries to take his current winning streak to eight. Stradivarius’s backers may well find their heart-rate increasing sharply at some stage, as the favourite’s average winning distance in his last six victories is a length. And while he has always managed to get the job done, Tuesday’s track and trip will play to the strengths of a very dangerous opponent in Cross Counter (3.35).
Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner was only fourth in the Gold Cup, just under two lengths behind Stradivarius, but he was held up behind a steady pace on his first try at two and a half miles and could never land a serious blow. Back at two miles on a course where he broke the track record for one mile six furlongs last summer, he offers some real value against the favourite at around 7-2.
Goodwood 1.50 The handicap that kicks off five days on the Sussex downs this week is fiercely competitive. Six of the runners lined up for the equally competitive John Smith’s Cup at York earlier this month with Setting Sail, the favourite here at around 7-2, faring best in second place, but he is now 7lb worse off with Jazeel, who struggled for racing room on the Knavesmire. Jazeel has been in excellent form since joining Jedd O’Keeffe at the start of the season and Jamie Spencer, a dab hand with hold-up horses, is the ideal rider to deliver him late off a strong pace.
Goodwood 2.25 Some exceptional colts have announced themselves in the Vintage Stakes in recent years including Expert Eye, Galileo Gold and Highland Reel, and this looks like another strong renewal. Visinari could not justify the pre-race hype when only third in the July Stakes last time but he lost little in defeat, while Positive, Mystery Power and Pinatubo, who looked like a potential champion juvenile as he pulled three lengths clear in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot, are all unbeaten.
Goodwood 3.00 This may be a slightly sub-par renewal of the Lennox Stakes which could offer an opening for Flaming Spear to run well at big odds. He spreadeagled a big-field handicap off a rating of 104 over track and trip last summer and, though he has not run since November, he has often run well fresh in the past. At around 16-1 he is a big each-way price.
Yarmouth 1.40 Etikaal 2.15 Lilkian 2.50 Tigerfish 3.25 Knowing
4.00 Majaalis 4.30 Mitigator 5.05 George Dryden
Goodwood 1.50 Jazeel (nap) 2.25 Pinatubo 3.00 Flaming Spear (nb)
3.30 Cross Counter 4.10 Cobra Eye 4.45 Maygold 5.15 Salayel
Beverley 2.05 Tell Me All 2.40 Siyahamba 3.15 Harry Love 3.50 Ginger Jam 4.20 How Bizarre 4.55 Barbarosa 5.30 John Caesar
Worcester 5.35 Double Court 6.05 Raven’s Touch 6.40 Twasn’t The Plan 7.15 Jesse Jude 7.50 Takinitallin 8.20 Magical Thomas 8.50 Evita Du Mesnil
Perth 5.45 Purple King 6.15 Nietzche 6.50 Kashmir Wilde 7.25 Old Salt
8.00 Putting Green 8.30 Chateau Robin 9.00 Artiste Celebre