Goodwood Saturday Preview - 25/05/2019

The opening race on the Sussex Downs at Goodwood is the Betfair Best Odds On ITV Races Festival Stakes - a Listed contest over ten furlongs.

Elarqam - beautifully bred son of Frankel; it's never quite worked out for him, losing his unbeaten record in last year's 2,000 Guineas, and never jumping back up to the hype.

He only finished fourth in the Group Three Earl Of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket on return, but that form has worked out really well, with Forest Ranger scoring in a Group Two at Chester, and Mustashry hosing up in the Lockinge at Newbury on Saturday.

Time to up his game once more.

Alhakmah finally got his head in front at the fourth attempt at Lingfield in a Novice event on his latest start, and now heads back to the home of his impressive debut at Goodwood for the Betfair Each Way Edge Handicap.

The three-year-old absolutely flew home here under Ryan Moore in his juvenile days on his first ever start for Richard Hannon, and certainly went into everyone's notebooks as a future winner next time out.

He failed to get the job done at Newbury or at Salisbury on reappearance, but now a winner, he certainly enters calculations in this big handicap.

Well in at the weights, a big run will be expected in the colours of Al Shaqab.

No bet from us in the third, so moving onto another Listed contest; the feature over twelve furlongs is the Tapster Stakes and Mirage Dancer can prevail again on the course overlooking Chichester and the sea.

Sir Michael Stoute is in red hot form at the moment, and has the horse in this with clearly the best form, most notably when winning over course and distance in a Group Three at the Glorious meeting in August.

Was not seen to his best over at Sha Tin which was a failed trip, but back on home soil racing at a course he loves, he should definitely be involved.

Won this race last year as well, so absolutely deserves to be at the forefront of this again.

King's Advice is five-from-five since joining Mark Johnston, winning his sole attempt at 1m6f, and remains one to follow in the Bet In Play On The Betfair Exchange Handicap.

Ridden by Joe Fanning, he got the better of Frankuus at Ripon in Handicap company last time out around a month ago, and a three pound rise looks lenient.

In red hot form, scoring at Thirsk, Wolverhampton, Kempton and Lingfield since transferring over from Germany, on most occasions over a mile and a half.

He was very impressive - like all his victories, over fourteen furlongs on the artificial surface at Wolverhampton, and has proved more than once that he can compete on the turf.

Big big danger to all.

Milton Bradley's old-boy Englishman takes his campaign back to Goodwood, having won this race - the Betfair 3/1 Free Bet Offer Veterans Handicap, off 5lb higher last year.

Failed to fire this time though and arrives with plenty of risks attached, but one good run could re-raise the confidence levels for this nine-year-old.

His favourite track would probably be at Windsor in terms of his best and peak performances, but stuck his neck out gamely to take this twelve months ago, beating a couple of today's repeated opponents.

Connections will hope of a repeated effort, and hopefully he can bounce back big time from his two poor shows this season.

Never be scared of a big price.

Neon Sea can take the finale for the red-hot duo of Sir Michael Stoute and Oisin Murphy - who do not combine that often, in the Betfair Cash Out EBF FIllies' Novice Stakes.

Seen twice so far - finishing second on debut at Chelmsford on the all-weather back in November was essentially first-day at School stuff.

She improved to keep on to fifth off a slow start over seven furlongs at Salisbury in a Novice event on return, and the form is really working out nicely, with winner Hotsy Totsy scoring at Kempton in the last few days, and Alhakmah going for the second race earlier this afternoon.

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