Simon Holt expects John Gosden to make a flying start on day one of the Qatar Goodwood Festival and he has three bets for the day.
Recommended bets:
2pts win Wasaayef in 1.10 Goodwood at 3/1
1pt win Sir Dancealot in 2.45 Goodwood at 13/2
1pt win Recon Mission in 3.45 Goodwood at 6/1
AT the beginning of five exciting days of racing, WASAAYEF is taken to get us off to a good start in the opening British European Breeders Fund EBF Fillies Handicap on the first day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival on Tuesday.
This lightly-raced daughter of Kingman progressed with each outing last year, beating the useful Alpen Rose (winner next time and then third in the May Hill at Doncaster) at Newmarket (7f) before failing by a neck to catch Queen Daenerys over this trip on the same course where she rallied well after being headed.
That last run looks decent given that Wasaayef was conceding 6lb to Queen Daenerys who is now rated 103 (the pair finished well clear of the third), so that John Gosden's filly looks very tempting here off a mark of 93.
The main feature of the Group Two Lennox Stakes is SIR DANCEALOT's bid for a three-timer after winning in 2018 and 2019.
This quite gorgeous specimen performed a miracle to find a clear run and win two years ago by a short head from Suedois and then beat the same horse into third 12 months ago when accounting for Hey Gaman by a length.
Sir Dancealot's trainer David Elsworth has been a bit quiet this season, but this horse has defied stable trends before, goes exceptionally well for Gerald Mosse and clearly loves the seven furlongs at Goodwood. His recent, not disgraced run, when seventh to Oxted in the July Cup (6f) bodes well for another strong bid here.
Finally, RECON MISSION could be the one to beat in the five-furlong Qatar Handicap.
Tony Carroll's useful sprinter has become well handicapped, down 7lb from a peak rating of 104 last season, and ran his best race for a while when third behind Nahaarr and Watan at Newbury over six furlongs last time.
Recon Mission had some useful types behind him that day and the winner is a horse likely to make up into a bold-type performer.
Tom Marquand's mount will need a fast pace over this easy five furlongs but it looks guaranteed with renowned trailblazers like Caspian Prince and Ornate in the line-up.
Preview posted at 1515 BST on 27/7/20
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