Goodwood and Galway Friday Tips Dave Stevos
Goodwood and Galway Friday Tips and Preview
Thank God for Lady Bowthorpe. I have tipped her four times and she has never let me down. She has won at 20s, 6s and 7/2 for us and placed at 28s. It was a real thrill seeing her win and there is more to come. Nothing went right for Sole Pretender and I was fuming with the ride given to Gis A Sub. Lunastar needed the run and Fast Steps went too quickly early. Belloccio hasn’t trained on and Already Gone simply hated the track. I know where he is coming from! The torture is nearly over, check out Dave Stevos’ Goodwood and Galway Friday tips below.
1.50 Goodwood – Unibet Handicap (Class 2)
He admittedly isn’t a massive price, but Smart Champion looks to hold outstanding claims in this 20f handicap. David Simcock’s charge has only won two of his 18 career starts but he has been running in some decent races. He is an out and out stayer who needs this distance at the very minimum these days. His best run so far this year came two starts ago over 16f at this track. He was a bit slow away and he also had traffic issues but once he got into the clear he stayed on stoutly for 3rd, beat just under 4L off 87.
That wasn’t his first time to run well at Goodwood. In 2020 he ran here twice, including in this race. The son of Teofilo finished just a length behind Just Hubert off 89. Just Hubert was in off 88 and he is 1lb lower now but Smart Champion is 6lb lower and Saffie Osborne also takes off a handy 5lbs. Drying ground is in his favour and if he is going to get back into the winner’s enclosure, surely it will be today. At odds of 8/1, Smart Champion is the each way selection.
Goodwood and Galway Friday Tips: Smart Champion e/w @ 8/1 (5 places)
2.25 Goodwood – Bonham’s Thoroughbred Stakes (Group 3)
Baeed bids to continue his rapid progression through the ranks in this 8f G3. William Haggas’ son of Sea The Stars remains undefeated after three runs. All his wins have been at this distance, a Leicester maiden and then a Novice and Listed at Newmarket. His Novice win came on good to soft and his listed victory was on good to firm so the ground won’t be an issue for him today. He beat a couple of useful sorts in Maximal and One Ruler last time and he is a worthy favourite.
One that could go well at a bigger price is Perotto for Buick and Tregoning. This son of New Bay won successive handicaps in June, including one here over 7f off 94. He then followed up with a superb win in the Britannia at Ascot off 99. That form was boosted by Dubai Honour (4th) and Qaader (7th) who both won next time. His winning run came to an end in the Bunbury Cup (7f) last time off 101 and he now steps into Group company. The fact he has winning course form is a big plus and he should be finishing faster than most. I think Baeed will probably win but at the prices, Perotto is worth chancing each way.
Goodwood and Galway Friday Tips: Perotto e/w @ 14/1
3.00 Goodwood – Golden Mile Handicap (Class 2)
A mile awaits a field of 20 in this class 2 handicap. This is as tricky as they come and there will be lots of hard luck stories. Since 2010 only one horse has won this from a double digit draw and the last five winners were drawn 5 or lower. We backed Hortzadar at Ascot and he got absolutely no run. Jamie Spencer was motionless on him from pillar to post, waiting for gaps that never came. Last time at Doncaster he was well beaten but it was a lower grade and the prize money was a pittance. That outing was probably just to keep him ticking over and I expect much better today.
This horse last won back in September over C&D off 94. Yes, it was a smaller field than today’s but he has form in bigger fields and given his good draw in stall 4, hopefully he can stay out of trouble. He can be held up but he has won when racing prominently too so hopefully that is the plan today. His stablemate Shelir is drawn in 1 and he likes to lead so hopefully he can slot in behind. He is in off 96, 2lb higher than when he last won but Sean Kirrane’s 5lb claim means he is effectively off 91. A slight ease in the ground will suit and O’Meara’s horses are in great form. This is not a race for maximum stakes but at 16/1, Hortzadar is worth chancing each way.
Goodwood and Galway Friday Tips: Hortzadar e/w @ 16/1 NB (6 places)
3.35 Goodwood – King George Qatar Stakes (Group 2)
The feature race on Friday at Goodwood is the G2 King George Stakes. Back on a kinder surface, Liberty Beach could go well. This daughter of Cable Bay is a favourite of mine. She is an extremely talented filly on her day and if she runs to her full potential she has the ability to win this race. Last time out at Ascot the ground was probably a shade quick for her but she still finished a creditable 6th, just 3L behind Oxted. She was only 0.5L behind Battaash and it was a better effort than her finishing position suggests.
Liberty Beach is a former course and distance winner. She landed the Molecomb in 2019 and the ground was too quick when he ran poorly in this race last season. John Quinn’s filly has yet to score at the top level but she has run plenty of good races. Sometimes she can race a bit freely but hopefully there is enough pace in this to allow her to settle better. Jason Hart keeps the faith and she has a nice draw in stall 6. If the real Battaash turns up, he’ll be tough to beat but Liberty Beach is capable of getting close to him if at her best, even with a 3lb penalty. With trip, track and ground to suit she is the each way selection at 16/1.
Goodwood and Galway Friday Tips: Liberty Beach e/w @ 16/1 (4 places)
4.10 Goodwood – Queen’s Plate Glorious Stakes (Group 3)
I’d love to see Euchen Glen win this. Jim Goldie’s stable star just keeps getting better. He landed a 10f Listed heat at Sandown last time, adding to his G3 win at the same track in May. Paul Mulrennan will drop him out and if the pace collapses, try to pick up the pieces. It would be no surprise to see him scoring again but he is a bit too short for my liking. One who has the ability to figure at bigger odds, if race fit, is Eagles By Day.
Trained by David O’Meara, this horse won a G3 at York last season (14f gd). Next time he ran a cracker over 2 miles here behind Stradivarius, just not quite getting home. Connections persisted at 16f/18f for his next two runs but he simply doesn’t have the stamina. His last run at 12f saw him finish a solid 3rd behind Japan in the King Edward at Ascot (Pablo Escobarr 4L behind). He ran well first time up in 2019 so he is capable of going well fresh and at 16/1, an each way interest is advised.
Goodwood and Galway Friday Tips: Eagles By Day e/w @ 16/1
5.00 Galway – Galway Tribes Handicap (0-140)
Ado McGuinness and Shamrock Thoroughbreds have had a week to remember already at Galway. It might get even better for them today. Politicise is the rank outsider in this handicap hurdle but he is no back number. We backed him back in May when he ran poorly on soft ground in a Grade 3 at Haydock. He has one win on heavy on the flat but over jumps he is effective on nicer ground. The son of Camelot ran a grand race earlier this week over 12f, finishing 4th behind Merroir. It was a welcome return to form after a few poor runs and maybe he has now turned the corner.
He hit top form at this time last year. His run of good results included a fine 2nd in a Novice hurdle over today’s C&D. His last win over hurdles came at Listowel off 123 when he hacked up by 3L, strong form. Shane Fitzgerald’s claim means he is effectively just 3lb higher today and given who trains him, it would be no surprise if this race has been on the radar for some time. Both previous runs at Galway were solid, the ground looks perfect and at 33/1, hopefully he gives us a run for our money.
Goodwood and Galway Friday Tips: Politicise e/w @ 33/1 (5 places)
5.30 Galway – Guinness Handicap Hurdle (Grade B)
Another massive field and this will probably be as rough as Thursday’s feature. It has paid to be up with the pace in the big jumps races this week. On the decent ground very few are getting into races from the back and I think Construct could make a bold bid at a price for John McConnell. This 6yo hasn’t run over hurdles since finishing 4th behind Dewcup. He has yet to score in handicap company over timber. His two wins came in a maiden at Downpatrick and in a Sligo Novice, both on nice ground. The maiden win came over 19f but he has won over 2 miles on the flat so there is every chance this 23f will suit him.
19f is the furthest trip he has tackled so far and he wasn’t stopping at the finish. He warmed up for this with a lovely run over 17f on the flat at Limerick when beat just 1.75L off 82. His two handicap hurdle runs were poor but they came over 2 miles. The fact he has won at Sligo is encouraging because that track is pretty similar to Galway. Simon Torrens steered Streets of Doyen to victory for McConnell on Friday and hopefully he repeats the trick on Construct. At odds of 20/1, he is the each way pick.
Goodwood and Galway Friday Tips: Construct e/w @ 20/1 (5 places)
7.10 Galway – Galway Blazers Handicap Chase (0-140)
Last, but not least, we have the Galway Blazers, a consolation race for the Plate. Given how the rest of the big jumps races have gone this week, Willie Mullins will probably win it. He runs three here and Sapphire Lady is the mount of Townend. I’m not sure about the ground for her though as her best recent form is on soft. The Gilligans had a nice winner earlier this week with Shanwalla and Born By The Sea could give them more to shout about this evening. This 7yo has won just two races, both on ground with good in the description. His most recent triumph came at Wetherby in November (24f gd/sft) so there are no worries regarding his stamina for today’s 22f trip.
He has plenty of course form in the book too in both codes. His maiden run on the level here earlier this week was poor but it should have left him cherry ripe for this. He likes to be up with the pace, which is a plus, and he shaped very nicely when 8L behind Darasso at Listowel last month (1L behind Snow Falcon giving 2lbs) and 0.5L ahead of Abbey Magic (giving 9lbs). Abbey Magic won well here off 139 earlier this week so theoretically, this horse looks chucked in off 130. His Athenry yard have probably lined him up for this race and at odds of 25/1, he is the e/w NAP of the day.
