Space Blues (blue silks) wins at Haydock
Space Blues - worth another chance at York

Goodwood analysis: Mark Howard horses to follow


Top analyst Mark Howard feels two horses beaten at Goodwood look good betting opportunities at the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival at York.

SPACE BLUES was unable to replicate his win in the Group 2 Lennox Stakes from 12 months earlier. Charlie Appleby’s five year old was beaten less than a length, though, and showed enough to suggest he will be a force in the major prizes over seven furlongs later this summer and beyond. The combination of testing conditions on the opening afternoon and a steady early gallop didn’t play to his strengths.

Despite winning a conditions event in Riyadh during the winter, the son of Dubawi didn’t arrive in the same form as in 2020 having been out of action since finishing ninth in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan in late March. William Buick’s mount still held every chance approaching the final quarter of a mile, though, before being forced to switch to the outside. Keeping on without accelerating, he filled fourth position behind a rejuvenated Kinross, leaving the impression he still has plenty more to offer.

While a return to France for a repeat win in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville is an option, that is likely to come too soon (8th August). More appealing is a tilt at either the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes at Newbury (14th August), a race his connections won with Glorious Journey in 2019, or the Group 2 City of York Stakes (21st August).

Space Blues will take some stopping in either of those contests. Longer-term, a rematch with Ralph Beckett’s winner could be on the cards in the Group 1 Prix de la Foret at Longchamp in early October.

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Having selected TWILIGHT CALLS in the preview column for the five-furlong handicap for three-year-olds which rounded off Thursday’s card, it looked a question of David Probert pressing the button once the gap opened up and Henry Candy’s improving sprinter would do the rest. Unfortunately, the Cheveley Park Stud-owned colt didn’t respond in the same manner which had seen him score at Newmarket on his previous start.

Despite finishing only fourth, three lengths in arrears of Whenthedealinsdone, compensation awaits in the near future. Last off the bridle, the son of Twilight Son travelled powerfully throughout and looked a smart type for the majority of the contest. I am hoping it was the rain-softened ground which proved his undoing – that is the second time he has encountered good to soft going (fifth and fourth). His record on good or a faster surface is 22121.

Still unexposed over the minimum trip, it would be no surprise to see him develop into a Pattern horse next year. More immediately, he is weighted to win a good sprint handicap this year off 95. Granted suitable underfoot conditions, the £70,000 Skybet Apprentice Handicap on the final day of York’s Ebor Festival (21st August) is tailormade for Twilight Calls. The likes of Digital and Tweet Tweet will ensure the five-furlong event is run at a frenetic pace throughout and that will play into his hands given his high cruising speed. Henry Candy’s search for a top apprentice is hopefully underway.

JOCKEYBOX with Oisin Murphy and Oli Bell

Beaten four lengths in the concluding seven-furlong handicap on Wednesday, FOX CHAMPION looks well worth a return to a mile in the coming weeks. Indeed, there is a £50,000 class 2 handicap on St Leger day at Doncaster (11th September) which looks tailormade for the five-year-old given his form figures on Town Moor are 210. A former winner of the German 2000 Guineas in 2019, he has raced exclusively over seven furlongs since joining Ralph Beckett.

Gelded during the winter, he shaped well on his reappearance when a close third at Haydock in the spring before a disadvantageous draw effectively ruled him out of the Victoria Cup at Ascot. Beaten less than a length at Newmarket next time, he was drawn wide at Goodwood which forced Silvestre de Sousa to drop his mount in early on.

Needless to say, in a 17-runner handicap on the Sussex Downs, the King Power-owned gelding met trouble in running before keeping on nicely in seventh behind Magical Wish. Rated 110 when lining up in the St James’s Palace Stakes, he is fairly treated off 95 nowadays and is capable of winning a similar prize once returning to a mile.

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Granted a more conventional track there is every reason to believe the David and Mick Easterby-trained ELYSIAN FLAME would have won the stamina-sapping Goodwood Handicap on Friday. The five-year-old was set plenty to do but didn’t look comfortable running downhill in the home straight. Once on an even keel he stayed on strongly to finish third, less than two lengths behind Calling The Wind. He has been in fine form this term and also ran well in both the Chester Cup and Ascot Stakes. Ease in the ground is important to the Champs Elysees gelding and, given such conditions, he must be a strong contender for the Cesarewitch in the autumn. The long home straight on the Rowley Mile will be ideal.

With a rating of 98, he doesn’t want much more of a rise in the weights and it might not be a bad idea to hide him away in his stable for a few months. Treated for ulcers during the winter/early spring, he is a previous winner of the Lanark Silver Bell at Hamilton and has always possessed plenty of ability. If he ever got his jumping together, there wouldn’t be many better handicapped hurdlers in the north of England off a mark of 118.

Finally, the maiden fillies’ stakes over seven furlongs for two-year-olds on Thursday has been won by subsequent Group 1 winners Amazing Maria (2013) and Rhododendron (2016).

Time will tell how strong the 2021 renewal will prove to be, but there were a couple of runners worth bearing in mind in the next few weeks. TYPEWRITER is a stablemate of the winner Wilderness Girl and she left the impression she could be one for nurseries in the autumn.

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The daughter of Gleneagles had shaped nicely on her debut over six furlongs at Windsor, displaying signs of greenness in the process. Stepped up in trip here, Andrew Balding’s filly was hampered early on and lacked the tactical speed when the tempo increased inside the final quarter of a mile. However, she kept on in determined fashion and will be suited by a further step up in distance. She could be an interesting proposition in a mile nursery (her dam won over eight furlongs) following one more run.

The locally trained BREEZY STORM was seemingly unfancied on her debut (80/1) but Gary Moore’s debutant came home strongly in the same event, filling sixth position. The daughter of Fast Company was bought relatively cheaply at the breeze-ups earlier this year and was representing a stable still seeking their first juvenile winner in 2021 (only seven runners).

Drawn wide in stall 15, she wasn’t the quickest into stride and faced an uphill task even before the home turn. Hector Crouch’s mount ran on well, though, inside the closing stages and arguably finished best of all. This wasn't a bad starting point and she could be one to note for handicaps down the line.


ONASSIS – 2.25 Wednesday – Second 15/2

PERFECT POWER 2.25 Thursday

TWILIGHT CALLS – 5.20 Thursday

BAAEED 2.25 Friday – Won 2/5

GREAT AMBASSADOR 3.40 Saturday – Third 8/1


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