Tuesday 28th July 2026
The 2026 Glorious Goodwood meeting gets underway this week, with the opening day taking centre stage on Tuesday. I’ve had two bets on day one of the meeting, the first of which comes within the feature at 3.35, which is none other than the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, a Grade 1 affair over two miles. I’m fairly strong on the chances of SCANDINAVIA here for the all-conquering Ballydoyle combination of Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore. He won this race last year before signing off his campaign with Classic success in the St Leger, and has cemented himself as the king of the staying division with success in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot last time, getting the better of the reopposing Trawlerman in what is likely to go down as the race of the season. He’s still only a four-year-old, and could continue to progress for a yard that has won three out of the last four runnings of this race.
Who are the dangers? The clear and obvious main threat to the O’Brien charge is highly likely to once again come from his Ascot rival in Trawlerman, who represents John & Thady Gosden, and will be partnered by William Buick. He was the main player in the staying division last season, winning the Ascot Gold Cup, Lonsdale Cup, and Long Distance Cup. He lost nothing in defeat when going down by a head at Ascot last time out, and he should be bang on the premises once again here. One that could outrun a likely big price here is Lazy Griff for Charlie Johnston, who’s the mount of Oisin Murphy. He was placed in both UK & Irish Derbies last term, and opened his account this time around with a Listed success at Sandown last time out. This requires a significant step up from him; however, there could be more to come from him as a potential stayer.
Selection: Scandinavia – (Evs) (Win) (NAP) – (3.35 Goodwood)
1,2,3: Scandinavia (Evs), Trawlerman (9/4), Lazy Griff (16/1) – (3.35 Goodwood)
My second bet of the afternoon at Goodwood comes within the 4.45, and this is a Class 2 maiden for colts & geldings, and contested over a distance of six furlongs. Karl Burke is no stranger to success with two-year-olds as he’s fired in another twenty-one winners on the turf this term at the point of writing, and I think he’s got a very strong chance to add another to the tally here with LAUNCH SEQUENCE, who’s the mount of James Doyle in the Wathnan silks. This Mehmas colt was arguably unlucky not to open his account at the first time of asking when finishing third of eleven at Doncaster in a novice event at the start of the month. He was denied a clear run on that occasion, and he’ll likely show significant improvement coming into his second start here. I think that he should have a big say at the business end of things.
Who are the dangers? The majority of the line-up are open to improvement here; however, on all known form, you’d have to mark up Final Objective for Hamad AL Jehani and Callum Rodriguez as a main danger to the selection. He was second on his racecourse debut, and followed that up with a very solid effort in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, as he was beaten only a length and a half when finishing seventh of twenty-one, behind the eventual winner Great Barrier Reef. A repeat of that run would see him go close in this particular affair. Richard Hannon’s Agrippa wasn’t too far behind Launch Sequence on debut at Doncaster when finishing fifth, and showed progression next time out to finish a neck second of twelve at Newbury earlier this month. Naturally, he should continue to progress, and that has to put him in the equation here with Pat Dobbs in the saddle.
Selection: Launch Sequence – (7/4) (Win) (NB) – (4.45 Goodwood)
1,2,3: Launch Sequence (7/4), Final Objective (11/2), Agrippa (6/1) – (4.45 Goodwood)
