Our racing expert Ben Linfoot found 17/2 winner Epictetus at Goodwood on Friday - don't miss his Saturday tips including in the 28-runner Stewards' Cup.
The Verdict tips: Saturday, August 5
1pt win Capote’s Dream in 1.50 Goodwood at 10/1 (General, 11/1 bet365)
1pt win He’s a Latchico in 2.25 Goodwood at 8/1 (General)
1pt win Peripatetic in 3.00 Goodwood at 12/1 (General)
1pt e.w. Mr Wagyu in the 3.35 Goodwood at 20/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes, Betfred 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6)
Experience to hold sway in the Stewards’
It has been a wet week at Goodwood and with rain forecast throughout Saturday the ground looks likely to remain on the soft side for the 28-runner Coral Stewards’ Cup.
The prestigious handicap has its usual mix of up-and-comers and more grizzled sprinting veterans, with Rumstar even representing the three-year-olds following his great run in fifth in the Commonwealth Cup at 80/1 (also ran well in the Hackwood Stakes subsequently).
This will be the softest ground he’s ever raced on, though, and it could catch him out, and in a scenario like this I’m more drawn to experience over the unexposed types as it could become a bit of a battle.
They could split into two or more groups again with the jockeys making a beeline for either rail, but the meeting's leading rider Jason Hart will have options from stall 14 on MR WAGYU and he looks worth backing each-way at 20/1.
John Quinn’s team have been in great form at Goodwood this week (thanks to three winners and a second from four runners) and this horse looks primed to run well after running a rare below-par race at Thirsk last time just 11 days after his good Wokingham run at Royal Ascot.
It came too soon and he’s been given a month off – the last time he had a similar absence was last summer when he went over to the Curragh for the Scurry Handicap and won off a mark of 100.
The son of Choisir runs off 95 on Saturday and he looks very nicely treated on loads of pieces of form, while he has soft ground form, Goodwood form and a mixture of the two in his locker.
Two years ago he bolted up in the consolation race for the Stewards’ Cup in soft ground from a mark of 91, in a time quicker than Commanche Falls’ Stewards’ Cup win later the same afternoon (and he carried 7lb more).
He had a middle draw that day too with Hart drifting towards the stands’ side, but whichever way he goes on Saturday he looks set to make a bold bid.
This horse is hard as nails and would run through treacle for you, so 20/1 getting the six places looks a good bit of each-way business.
The Verdict: Back MR WAGYU in the Stewards’ Cup
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Dream bet in consolation race
Only 14 turn up in the consolation race that opens the card but this could set up nicely for Tom Ward’s CAPOTE’S DREAM and he’s worth a bet a double-figure prices.
The son of Dream Ahead was rated 92 last spring but he’s dropped right down to a mark of 76 after a long losing run, but the combination of tongue-tie and a visor perked him up at Newmarket last time.
He ran his best race since his seasonal debut when third to Equiano Springs on the July Course, travelling notably well off the pace before finishing his race strongly for third.
It was a step in the right direction and with the same headgear combination employed he can take another leap forward, with pace forcers like Gis A Sub and Many A Star being drawn close by a positive.
He goes well on soft ground and Tom Marquand, twice a winner on the horse, is back on board, which looks significant as he presumably could’ve ridden Many A Star having won this race on him last year.
The Verdict: Back CAPOTE’S DREAM in the 1.50 Goodwood
Latchico time for Moore
The other good quality handicap on the card is the Coral Summer Handicap with John & Thady Gosden’s Sweet William heading the market following his impressive win at Newbury last time.
However, that was on good ground and he’s gone up 7lb, so he does have questions to answer at short odds.
HE’S A LATCHICO is another last time out winner who has gone up 9lb in the weights but he’s four times the price and looks a better bet.
Gary Moore’s son of Fast Company won a couple of races over hurdles in May and June and then proved himself a handicap blot back on the Flat when bolting up at Sandown on Coral-Eclipse weekend over 1m6f (free video replay, below).
That was the furthest he’s ever gone on the Flat and, though he needs to find improvement from his revised rating, the combination of 1m6f and soft ground here could spark another career best.
He’ll be ridden patiently by Jim Crowley, but that looks a sensible tactic in the conditions and it would be no surprise if he comes through the field with a winning run.
The Verdict: Back HE’S A LATCHICO in the 2.25 Goodwood
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Peripatetic to travel nicely
Finally, I’m going to chance PERIPATETIC on the ground in the Group 2 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes over 1m6f.
Free Wind is the hot favourite here and on her best form she’ll be very tough to beat, but she was disappointing at Royal Ascot last time and looks a risky proposition at short odds on the back of that.
Peripatetic has to prove herself on ground this soft, as she’s never run on it, but I’d be hopeful she’ll act on it given she’s by Ulysses and her half-brother Answered liked soft ground.
He also stayed 1m6f, as did Peripatetic’s half-sister Unanswered, so the step up to the trip could bring about significant improvement and she loves Goodwood.
She has won twice here in both handicap and Listed company and Roger Varian is very good at bringing his fillies along slowly, as we saw the other day with Al Husn.
The Verdict: Back PERIPATEITIC in the 3.00 Goodwood
Preview posted at 1600 BST on 04/08/23
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