By Charlie McCann
The Qipco Sussex Stakes is today’s feature on Day 2 of Glorious Goodwood and it is impossible to oppose Kingman (3.05) backed from 4/7 to ½ on Tuesday morning at BetVictor as he bids to give the classic generation their sixth win in the last seven years in the Group One Mile contest. The only older horse to win the race during this sequence is the incomparable Frankel and chief rival Toronado (2/1) faces a difficult task giving 8lbs to John Gosden’s brilliant colt.
It seems almost inconceivable, after the manner of his St James’s Palace Stakes victory last time, that Kingman was beaten in the 2000 Guineas by Night Of Thunder and you could argue that Richard Hannon, who trains Night Of Thunder, should know where he stands as he tries to lower the colours of Kingman with Toronado who won a poor renewal of the Queen Anne on his reappearance at Royal Ascot.
Toronado won the corresponding race 12-months ago gaining revenge on Guineas winner New Approach and is a top-class miler make no mistake, but Kingman exuded class at both the Curragh (5L winner of the Irish Guineas) and Ascot and the forecast good ground should be ideal for the colt who is a confident selection.
Mark Johnston has saddled the winner of the opener for the last two years and his Made In Rio will be a very short price in the Goodwood Stakes given she can race from a mark only 3lbs higher than when scoring at Ascot only five days ago. She is a highly progressive stayer and if over those recent exertions she is a very worthy favourite but I will throw a few quid each way on Brockwell (1.55) who is 2lb lower than when meeting interference at a crucial time in the Ascot Stakes last month. Tom Dascombe’s 5-year-old looked in need of an extreme test when third at York over 2 miles last time and he can reward each way support in an excellent renewal of one of the longest races on the calendar at 2m 5f.
The Group 2 Vintage Stakes sees the British debut of Aidan O’Brien’s Highland Reel (3.30) who won his mile maiden at Gowran Park by no less than 12 lengths last time and should not be inconvenienced by this drop in trip. He holds entries in many of the big juvenile race s in the second half of the season and is currently our 20/1 favourite at BetVictor for the 2015 Derby. He will obviously get further in time but didn’t look short of pace at Gowran and it is possible that jockey Joseph O’Brien might make his own running to make sure it is a true test at the trip.
The Galway Plate is one of the big betting races of the week and it looks a cracking renewal of this valuable and prestigious handicap. JP McManus has to find seven different coloured caps for his runners and AP McCoy has chosen Alderwood who is the 13/2 favourite at BetVictor. My two against the field are Spring Heeled, who did us a favour when scoring at the Cheltenham Festival, and Aupcharlie (5.30) with marginal preference for the latter who can be backed at 20/1. Now trained by Henry De Bromhead the gelding has been off the track since finishing fourth at Punchestown over 2m 4f and this step up in trip looks sure to suit.
McCoy rides Golden Ticket (4.10) for Christy Roche and this recent winner at Killarney is only 5lbs higher and should appreciate the step back up in trip. Local trainer Fergie Hanley has booked Barry Geraghty for The Black Russian and he looks a big threat in another very competitive handicap.
At Sandown this evening I am looking forward to seeing the filly Cosette (8.35) tackle 1m 6f for the first time having ran on really well over a mile-and-a-half last time at Salisbury. The selection has been raised 4lbs for that effort which is a slight concern but she is taken to improve for the extra distance for a yard (Henry Candy) in such good form of late.
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