2023 Glorious Goodwood Tuesday Tips – DS
2023 Glorious Goodwood Tuesday Preview
We made an atrocious start to the week, blanking on Day 1 at Galway. Gordon’s Aura, Burren Song and Pearl of Australia all got stuck in the mud. Cullaghs Star got mullered at least twice and had no chance after. Little Keilee also didn’t get the clearest of runs but ran on very strongly, just missing out on the place money in 5th at 40s. The focus switches to Sussex on Tuesday afternoon, get Dave Stevos’ 2023 Glorious Goodwood Tuesday tips below.
2.50 – Chesterfield Cup Handicap (Class 2)
There is going to be juice in the ground on the opening day of Glorious Goodwood. They got over 30mm of rain last weekend and 29mm in the last 7 days, including nearly 7mm on Monday. It is currently good to soft, soft in places, so an ability to handle an ease will be paramount.
The interesting one for me at a price is Ancient Rome. Jamie Spencer rides for Charlie Hills and this 4yo son of War Front is making his stable and handicap debut. He was formerly trained in France by Andre Fabre and he has been highly tried. His last three starts have come at Listed/G3 level and he just hasn’t been up to the task.
Solid Form
However, he did get to within 3.25L of the 120 rated Tribalist at Longchamp (8f gd/sft) just three runs ago and he shaped as though this sort of trip would suit. His last 10f start on soft came in the G1 French Derby last year and he wasn’t disgraced finishing 9th of 15, not far behind the likes of Onesto (now rated 122), Arc 4th Al Hakeem (rated 121) and Lockinge winner Modern Games (rated 121).
On all that form a mark of 105 may be generous. Unusually for a War Front he seems best with a bit of cut in the ground and his 2yo G3 win came on good to soft at Deauville. Over 10f at Goodwood a high draw is preferable so stall 16 is not a negative. So, at odds of 20/1, Ancient Rome is the e/w selection.
2023 Glorious Goodwood Tuesday Tip: Ancient Rome e/w @ 20/1 (5 places) NAP
3.25 – Vintage Stakes (Group 2)
The 2yos take centre stage in this 7f Group 2. Nine will go to post and I am going to give Son another chance. We backed him in the Superlative at Newmarket last time out and he finished 5th. Yes, he was 10L behind the winner City Of Troy but he was just 3.5l behind Haatem in second and he was only a neck behind Odyssey in third.
Having watched that race back more than once, Pat Dobbs was very easy on his mount. He only gave him a couple of light taps with the persuader and it was mostly a hands and heels ride. Dobbs probably realised a couple of furlongs out that there was no beating City Of Troy and he accepted his fate and didn’t give Son a hard race.
There is no City Of Troy in here and his stablemate Haatem is the 3/1 jolly. Son ran well on soft ground on his debut and while his win (beat Soldier’s Gold) came on good to firm it was good to soft at Newmarket last time so he does handle an ease. His owner Julie Wood is 10/55 with 14 top 4s with her 2yo runners at Goodwood, hopefully Son can enhance that fine record at odds of 28/1.
2023 Glorious Goodwood Tuesday Tip: Son e/w @ 28/1 NB
4.00 – Lennox Stakes (Group 2)
Eight will go to post for this 7f G2 and Kinross is a short price with Frankie up. He is used to competing at the top table and his last five starts have come at G1 level. In his last race he ran a cracker behind Shaquille in the July Cup at Newmarket and this step back up in trip on soft ground will really suit. Most definitely the one to beat.
He does have to give weight to the 3yo Isaac Shelby, another horse who will enjoy this trip/ground. He has come up short at G1 level the last twice but both those runs were over a mile. His last 7f start resulted in a G3 win at Newbury (sft) and he’ll go hard from the front to try and gallop his rivals into submission.
Soft Ground key
Another horse that will relish the underhoof conditions is the rag, Holguin. This progressive 3yo has a mustard record on soft ground. His form figures when there has been soft in the ground description read 22312, including his first stakes win in a Listed race at Chester last time out (7f sft).
Back in May he got to within a neck of former G1 winner Angel Bleu at Haydock (7f gd/sft). In April he finished a neck second to Majestic Pride with subsequent 2000 Guineas runner up Hi Royal 2L behind him in 4th.
I’m not sure he should be as big as 25/1. He’s rated 111 which leaves him with very little to find with most of these and from a lovely draw in stall 2, hopefully Oisin Murphy can steer him into the money.
2023 Glorious Goodwood Tuesday Tip: Holguin e/w @ 25/1
4.35 – Goodwood Cup Stakes (Group 1)
At 50/1, Ocean Wind is capable of reaching the shake up here for Roger Teal and Jim Crowley, if he is on a going day. The 7yo son of Teofilo had a long spell on the sidelines after a poor run at Sandown in May 2021 but his comeback at the same track (16f gd) was highly encouraging.
This horse has plenty of decent form on soft ground. He ran well in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in 2020, he won a 14f Doncaster handicap on soft later that year and his sole start on good to soft saw him win his maiden at Lingfield.
Just three starts ago this horse chased home Stradivarius at Ascot (16f gd/fm). Yes, it was in May 2021 but it was a run that proved he could compete with the best stayers around at that time. On his return from two years off he ran a very respectable race in Listed company at Sandown and he should come on plenty for that.
He was only 3.5L behind the 116 rated winner Yibir so it really was an excellent comeback run. The blinkers worn that day are retained and Jim Crowley keeps the faith. Courage Mon Ami and Coltrane do set a good standard but if Ocean Wind can repeat his Ascot form when just behind Stradivarius, he could surprise with a big run here at odds of 50/1.
