Horse Racing Tips – Glorious Goodwood Day 4

GLORIOUS GOODWOOD DAY 4 TIPS – PERON CAN POUNCE IN BETFRED MILE

Big-field handicaps are a punting minefield at Goodwood, and on day four of the Glorious meeting on Friday the Betfred Mile is littered with mines. Still, it’s hard to resist the allure of these races – the sense of achievement you feel when backing the winner of such a contest is pretty intoxicating.

And what a cracking renewal of this valuable handicap; you can genuinely make a credible case for each of the 20 contenders. That said, there is no doubt in my mind that potentially the best-handicapped horse in the race is Stirring Ballad who has had absolutely no luck in running in her last three starts.

She has winning course form, which is always a bonus at this Sussex venue, and she has a favourable single-figure draw. In essence, Lady Luck will need to be on her side owing to her hold-up style of racing, as there are bound to be traffic problems in the Betfred Mile, but if she does gets the breaks she’ll go close – that much is certain.

However, while it pains me to pass Andrew Balding’s charge over, I am strongly drawn to CAPE PERON who ran a fine race when fifth in the Britannia Stakes on ground that was quicker than he would have liked at Royal Ascot last month.

Like Stirring Ballad, the selection will need luck on his side, as he too is usually ridden from off the pace. But I strongly believe that he has future Pattern-class performer written all over him and, with the easier surface here very much in his favour, he simply has to be backed at the 8/1 on offer with Ladbrokes.

Wentworth heads the ante-post betting and has to be taken very seriously indeed, as his efforts in a trio of handicaps this term strongly suggest that he has a big pot in him. However, he was only a length ahead of Cape Peron in the Britannia and is 4lb worse off this time. He looks sure to give a good account, but may find one or two too good once again.

The first race on the card is the Coutts Glorious Stakes and, assuming that all is well with MASTERSTROKE he should prove too good for his six rivals, having finished third in the Arc when last seen out in October.

Lack of a recent run may be of concern to some, but the son of Monsun has won on his reappearance in both of his previous seasons in training, and the former inmate of Andre Fabre can strike on debut for Godolphin, possibly at the chief expense of Aiken.

The Group 3 Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes is a decent contest and Montiridge is a worthy favourite. He brings the strongest form to the table and Richard Hughes prefers him to the other Richard Hannon-trained runner, BALTIC KNIGHT.

However, it would be dangerous to underestimate the latter. His form is measures up pretty well against his stablemate’s, and he displayed a cracking attitude when landing a well-contested Listed event at York last time. That was an improved effort and, with Ryan Moore deputising for Hughes, Baltic Knight makes plenty of appeal at 6/1 with bet365.

The Betfred King George Stakes is always fiercely competitive and this season’s renewal is no different. I reckon Tickled Pink will be suited by this sharp 5f given the speed she showed when landing a Group 3 at Sandown last time.

Lady Cecil’s charge is a worthy favourite and I won’t be remotely surprised if she emerges victorious from stall one, but MOVIESTA, who is also well-berthed in stall five, has been performing with plenty of credit in hot handicaps and appeals as the type to take this step up in class in his stride.

The Bryan Smart-trained gelding is well worth supporting at 9/1 with Paddy Power, but I can’t resist also having a saver on ELUSIVITY, too, as he’s way too big at 25s with the same firm. He’s also well-drawn (stall two), Kieren Fallon is doing the steering and, all in all, he rates a cracking value each-way bet.

Tips:

Goodwood
1.55 Masterstroke – 5/2 (William Hill)
2.30 Baltic Knight – 6/1 (bet365)
3.05 Cape Peron – 8/1 (Ladbrokes)
3.40 Moviesta – 9/1 (Paddy Power)
& Elusivity (each-way) – 25/1 (Paddy Power)