Friday 1st August 2025
Glorious Goodwood Selections (Day 4)
1.20: Coral Goodwood Handicap
Friday’s action at Goodwood gets underway with the 1.20, and this is a Class 2 handicap that’s contested over two miles and four and a half furlongs. I’ve tried my hand with two selections in the race. The first of which is Align The Stars for Charlie Johnston, who has the services of Christophe Soumillon. He’s not been running badly among competitive handicaps as of late, including over a similar distance to this at Royal Ascot on his penultimate start. He won at this meeting last year off a pound lower mark, albeit over a mile and six furlongs; however, I think he could run well again here, and course form counts for a lot.
I also like Kyle Of Lochalsh for Hughie Morrison and Oisin Murphy. He comes into the race fresh, having only had the one run this season, and that came at Southwell back in April. He was fourth in this race last year, off the same mark as his current one, so the distance shouldn’t be an issue. There’s nothing to suggest that he can’t go well here again, under a rider who has already had success here this week.
ALIGN THE STARS – 8/1 (Each-Way)
KYLE OF LOCHALSH – 5/1 (Each-Way)
1.55: Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes
Next up, it’s Group 3 action, in the form of the Thoroughbred Stakes, which is contested over a mile. I’m taking a chance on Diego Ventura here for Hamad Al Jehani and James Doyle. He’s continued to show a solid level of form this term, winning a Listed event at Longchamp on his second start of the season, as well as three other solid efforts, all coming within Listed company. Most notably, all of his victories have come when there has been an element of soft in the going, so the likely testing surface here should suit him. The race has cut up significantly, and he could well capitalise.
DIEGO VENTURA – 9/2 (Win)
2.30: Coral Golden Mile
The third race of the afternoon is the 2.30 and this is the Coral Golden Mile, which is a Class 2 Heritage Handicap. This is another highly competitive affair of which I’ve played two selections. The first comes in the form of Greek Order for Michael Bell and Oisin Murphy. He’s run two very solid races in his first two starts for this yard following a stint in America, finishing fourth of thirty in the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot and just a length and a half behind the winner, before finishing third at Sandown last time out behind Classic in the Coral Challenge. He remains on the same mark as his Sandown run and should go well again if he gets a clear run.
I also like Rhoscolyn here for David O’Meara and Jason Hart. He loves it around here and boasts a record of five Goodwood victories on his CV, most notably, all of those victories have had either soft or heavy in the going, which is highly likely what he’ll encounter here with the downpour of rain on Thursday. He’s two pounds below his last winning mark, which came here in September, and there’s plenty in his favour for another big run at this track.
GREEK ORDER – 8/1 (Each-Way)
RHOSCOLYN – 12/1 (Each-Way)
3.05: King George Qatar Stakes
We’re up in grade at 3.05 with the Group 2 King George Qatar Stakes taking centre-stage over five furlongs. I’ve come down on the Jack Davison trained She’s Quality here, who’s the mount of James Ryan. She was a three-time winner last term, including at Listed level, and has taken her form to the next level this season. She’s been second in all three of her outings so far, and these have come in the Palace House Stakes, Temple Stakes, and, most recently, the Coral Charge. In each of those runs, she’s not been beaten further than a length and a quarter; she’s very much deserving to get her head in front. I think she can go well again here, and she looks like a very fair price.
SHE’S QUALITY – 8/1 (Each-Way)
3.45: Regent Seven Seas Cruises Bentinck Conditions Stakes
My final selection of the afternoon on Friday comes within the 3.45, and this is a Class 2 conditions stakes over a mile and a furlong. I’m fairly strong on the chances of Liberty Lane here for the team of Karl Burke and Clifford Lee. He’s already got form at this track this season, having won a Listed event here over ten furlongs back in May, and he has plenty of other very solid form to his name, which includes a Cambridgeshire and Suffolk Stakes victory. He acts well on soft ground, so the testing surface that he could face here won’t be an issue, and I suspect a bold showing is likely.
LIBERTY LANE – 9/4 (Win) (NAP)
