Day One of Glorious Goodwood was okay, but ended with a loss.
Witness Stand did what I was hoping, but he didn't have the legs to get himself home inside the final furlong. That was the way he should have been ridden at Chester, and if he had been, he surely would have won that day. Today, the class horse caught up to him, as did the improver, who was a Royal Ascot winner.
Gold Digger was always going to struggle with the position she found herself in after the first furlong. Saffie tried to find a couple of gaps, and I think they were there, but the horse was a bit all over the place and didn't seem comfortable on the track. Poor performance, and I'll probably not return to that horse.
Under The Twilight (0.5pt EW, 6pl) – Goodwood 5.00
This name will be recognisable to a few, if you have a good memory. I tipped this mare up at Windsor a while back, and I thought she should have won that day. Her handicap mark has fallen since then, but she has run consistently well this year, and finally capitalised on a very low handicap mark at Windsor last time out.
The handicapper has stuck her up 5lbs for that recent success, which isn't the worst as the form has been boosted by the runner-up, who has won at the same venue since.
Obviously, I'd like it more if she came to this meeting without that recent success and a lower mark, but she is still on a very good handicap mark. She ran at this meeting last year, but in a better quality race. She finished second, losing by a neck in a Class 3 off an official rating of 82, producing an RPR of 91. She is a year older and is now a nine-year-old, so I don't expect a repeat performance, but if she can run to the level of last time out, she'll be going very close.
The current odds of 6/1 aren't the greatest. However, this is a very big field race, but considering I think she is the likeliest winner and the enhanced places on offer, it still seems a no-brainer.
GambleAware