The Wine Tipster | Goodwood Festival Day Five: “He isn’t ground dependent and has a big chance”

DAY 5 of the Qatar Goodwood Festival features the Stewards’ Cup Heritage Handicap over six furlongs with a full field of 28 runners. Fortunately in 2024 we have had a Glorious Goodwood with the most brilliant weather, and we can as ever look forward to one of the races of the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

Enjoy whether at Goodwood or watching #athome on ITV Racing or Racing TV.

Cheers

The Wine Tipster

 

2:25 Goodwood – Summer Handicap (1m 6f)

Align The Stars has got into the Summer Handicap, and you suspect this could have been a target for him earlier in the season.

It took a bit of time for Align The Stars to finally get the message, but once ridden much more prominently and given a step up in trip he’s improved enormously, winning back-to-back handicaps at Thirsk and Haydock without ever looking like the finished product. 

There’s chat of the St Leger for him around and if he’s to prove good enough for that, you’d like to think he’ll be winning this from a mark of 99. He isn’t ground dependent and has a big chance.  

 

3:00 Goodwood – Qatar Lille Langtry Stakes (1m 6f)

Caius Chorister made a mid-race move in the Ascot Gold Cup that basically used up far too much petrol and she had nothing left for the finish, so whether she was good enough for such lofty heights rather proved irrelevant. Regardless, this drop back in trip to 14f and step down in grade looks to hand her a better opportunity, particularly if the forecast rain takes the sting out of the ground, although she handles most surfaces to be fair to her. Her form this season arguably entitles her to favouritism here, and she can get a deserved victory on the board. 

 

3:35 Goodwood – Stewards’ Cup (6f)

Purosangue (nap) has been keeping very good company in group races and will appreciate running in a handicap off what looks an attractive mark of 101. This three-year-old colt’s form figures are 3592, which have all been in group races, including a third in the Group 3 Commonwealth Cup Trial to Jasour in May and a good second to Makarova in the Group 3 at Sandown. Purosanque has the course form with a second to Big Evs last season in the Molecomb Stakes. He has lots of improvement to come and looks the runner with the most potential in the field.

 

Apollo One might be back again and with good reason. He has potentially a good draw in stall 27 to work from, as he’s all speed and middle-to-high has been the place to be on recent evidence with the last six winners coming from stall numbers 15,19, 23, 17, 3 and 25. 

In fact, it could be deja-vu all over again as he pulled 27 out of the bag last year too,and ran a stormer to be second to Aberama Gold. For all that came on heavy ground, he goes on pretty much anything, and since that run has put in numerous good efforts in big-field handicaps, including at Newmarket in May when only finding Desert Cop too good. 

He’s easily forgiven a lesser effort in a small-field Listed event at Sandown last time over five furlongs and I’m not convinced that this trip works for him as he just tries to go too quick and won’t settle. Apollo One hasn’t won since November 2022 and maybe this is the day he finally gets his head in front in a major handicap. He certainly deserves to. 

 

Glenfinnan will love the conditions and still looks unexposed giving him an each way chance here. He beat Billyjoh (reopposes) back in May and ran well on his next two starts, whilst he ran too free at Ascot last time out. He is an interesting contender. 

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