16:10 Goodwood

Saturday 1 August 2026

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:20

Phase Eight Handicap

(7)

Wild Desert²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: W Buick| T: C Appleby| OR: 105| D

7/1

Useful juvenile who made a winning debut at Haydock (7f) in May and placed next 3 starts including in a Woodbine Grade 1. Below form making belated return when sixth in listed company at Newmarket (1m) 23 days ago and opening mark demands improvement now handicapping.

Form: 1232-6

(6)

Aqpan⁷⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Ray Dawson| T: R Varian| OR: 99| D

20/1

Off the mark in a maiden at Southwell in March. However, he has been highly tried since, and his mark has suffered as a result. Back from a break now (has been gelded).

Form: 22-1687

(2)

We're Goosers⁴⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Oisin Murphy| T: H Palmer| OR: 95| BF| D

5/2

Lightly-raced sort who improved a chunk from his reappearance when bolting up in 6-runner handicap at Newmarket (7f) in May. Shaped as if amiss when coming in last in the Britannia Stakes at the Royal meeting but he's well worth another chance to confirm previous promise. Has been gelded.

Form: 221-610

(11)

Utmost Good Faith^b1,t³¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: Jason Hart| T: S C Williams| OR: 93| D

40/1

Ex-Irish gelding who has done well for George Boughey this year, resuming progress taking on his elders for the first time when successful at Epsom (7f) 31 days ago. Changed hands for 28,000 gns since and blinkers now the headgear of choice in what is a stronger affair.

Form: 146051

(4)

Ghost Mode²³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: Rob Hornby| T: A M Balding| OR: 93| D

9/1

Much improved when making a winning handicap debut at Southwell (6f) in March. Free-going nature has hindered him to a large extent since and whilst he got back on track when sixth at Newmarket (6f) latest he again looked a hard ride. Handy draw to work from if settling better.

Form: 2-17906

(5)

Egoli^p1¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: D Egan| T: R M Beckett| OR: 89| D

16/1

Maiden/novice winner last summer who has stepped forward with each outing this season, posting just about his best effort yet when resuming winning ways at Doncaster (7f) 2 weeks ago, just holding on. Remains unexposed at this trip and not discounted in first-time cheekpieces.

Form: 548-961

(8)

Naval Light¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-6| J: Jack Nicholls⁽³⁾| T: K R Burke| OR: 88| D

15/2

Fairly useful form at 2 yrs and didn't need to be at his best when landing the odds in 8-runner maiden at Pontefract (6f) in May. Took his form up a notch when following up on handicap debut at Catterick (7f) 17 days ago and whilst this is tougher it would be foolish to rule out further progress.

Form: 23-3811

(10)

Ironwill²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-5| J: Marco Ghiani| T: S C Williams| OR: 87| D

13/2

Headstrong sort who was successful twice as a 2-y-o. Ran with definite credit on first 3 starts of present campaign prior to getting back on the up to land 5-runner handicap at Newmarket (7f) 4 weeks ago, by a short head from reopposing Proud Nation. Claims up 2 lb.

Form: 11-5531

(13)

Proud Nation²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-5| J: Warren Fentiman⁽³⁾| T: R A Fahey| OR: 87| D

16/1

€320,000 breeze-up purchase who confirmed debut promise when winning class 2 maiden at York (7f) last autumn. Shaping up well in defeat this season, going a long way to confirming promise of penultimate start when edged out late on by Ironwill. Interesting but draw could have been kinder.

Form: 21-352

(12)

Startled⁴⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-5| J: Harry Vigors⁽⁵⁾| T: R Hughes| OR: 87| D

11/1

Ended 2025 on the up and raised his game again this year, landing back-to-back handicaps at Newmarket/York in the spring. Posted a solid second behind an easy winner over C&D next time and easy to put a line through his latest Chester run (suffered interference).

Form: 1-31127

(1)

Marengo Storm^p1³⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-2| J: L Morris| T: R Hughes| OR: 84| D

8/1

Progressive son of Havana Grey who made it 2 wins from 4 career starts in 3-runner handicap at Newmarket (7f) in June, despite not looking entirely at home on the track. Raised just 1 lb on the back of that and feasible to think he could yet do better still. Cheekpieces go on and he's well drawn.

Form: 5121

(3)

Start Me Up^p²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-2| J: Saffie Osborne| T: R Spencer| OR: 84| D

12/1

Clearly benefited from a gelding operation, much improved when landing back-to-back Chester handicaps at up to 7f in June. Found his effort flattening out tackling extended 7f back there last time so a return to this shorter trip ought to see him to better effect.

Form: 075114

(9)

Ay Up Duck⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-2| J: Nicola Currie| T: M Appleby| OR: 78| D

40/1

Confirmed opening promise when landing a 7f all-weather maiden in April and back on the up on fourth handicap start when getting on top late in the day at Doncaster (6f) 9 days ago. This rates much more demanding however back up markedly in grade from out of the weights.

Form: 218871

Forecasts

We're Goosers (7/2), Ghost Mode (6/1), Wild Desert (7/1), Startled (8/1), Naval Light (8/1), Ironwill (10/1), Egoli (12/1), Aqpan (12/1), Proud Nation (12/1), Marengo Storm (12/1), Utmost Good Faith (16/1), Start Me Up (20/1), Ay Up Duck (20/1)

WE'RE GOOSERS clearly didn't do himself justice in the Britannia at Royal Ascot in June but he'd previously been mightily impressive when routing the opposition at Newmarket on his penultimate start in May. Gelded ahead of this and still appealing as being on a good mark, he's fancied to make a bold bid to bounce back from a handy draw. Low-mileage and progressive Marengo Storm is another to consider, with Ghost Mode and Egoli also respected.