Goodwood Wednesday

mike65

4 for fun in the big handicaps (I can't help myself!)

GOODWOOD 14:00 HANDICAP 2m 5f
01-08-2012 14:00
Win or E/W
Orsippus @ 9.00 (GP)

GOODWOOD 15:45 HANDICAP 1m 4f
01-08-2012 15:45
Win or E/W
Stature @ 11.00 (GP)

GOODWOOD 16:55 HANDICAP 1m 1f
01-08-2012 16:55
Win or E/W
Strathnaver @ 13.00 (GP)

GOODWOOD 17:30 HANDICAP 7f
01-08-2012 17:30
Win or E/W
Rakaan @ 23.00 (GP) (big price if the better going unlocks his old self - about 10 lbs lower than last win I think)

rossom

2.00 Goodwood

Cloudy Spirit 18/1

Rather like Reg Hollinshead's unexposed stayer Cloudy Spirit who I think looks rather overpriced at 18/1. To date, Cloudy Spirit has only had 6 starts on the flat and is 2-2 in handicaps winning twice over 2m2f. Her last win came back in May 2 starts back off a mark of 72 at York when winning by a neck with the front two drawing 8L clear of the remainder. Its very interesting that Orsippus finished 11.5L behind that day and after losing in a photograph and winning subsequently he is now 2lb worse off for that defeat yet he is a 9/1 shot. A talented hurdler rated 132, Cloudy Spirit's last start came at Royal Ascot in a Conditions race won by Simenon where Cloudy Spirit had quite a lot to do at the weights and its definitely an excusable effort. He's now rated 81 on the flat and is 9lb higher than his last win but I think he'll relish every yard of the 2m5f contest and I think he could definitely go well in this very competitive race.

3.45 Goodwood

Willie Wag Tail 8/1 NB & Misdemeanour 20/1

Really liked the manner Willie Wag Tail won with on his last start at Kempton and as he seemed to relish the step up to todays 1m4f contest. He's had a rather impressive start to his career to date winning 2 from 4 and off only a 6lb higher mark I think he's a very live contender in this. I would be very surprised if he isn't quite a bit better then his mark of 88. Trainer Ed Walker is in cracking form at present and go to jockey William Buick takes the ride with the trainer/jockey combination yielding a perfect 5-5 record this season. He ought to be rather hard to beat.

I really, really liked Misdemeanour's first two runs of her career when victorious on both occasion in very eye catching fashion. She's had 3 starts this year, running well on all 3 occasions and I think she has run well in defeat in her last two starts even though the rain softened ground was definitely against her. She gets good ground again today and I think she'll love the quicker surface. Although apparently Hannon's 2nd string on jockey bookings, I definitely think her mark of 87 isn't beyond her and at a big price I think she'll run a big race.

rossom

5.30 Goodwood

Common Touch 14/1 NAP

Hopefully the rain stays away as I think the key to this horse is good ground and although he's disappointed on his last couple of starts with give in the ground he is now very well handicapped and I think he's primed for a massive run. Prior to this year, Richard Fahey's 4 year old Common Touch was very progressive and had the profile of a horse who had not stopped improving and I think he can definitely resume his upward trend today. As a 2 and 3 year old, Common Touch had hardly done much wrong winning 3 times and finishing 2nd a further twice from 8 starts. After making a successful debut as a 2 year old, he was slightly disappointing on his 2nd and final 2 YO start in a handicap debut off a mark of 80 when finishing a 2L beaten 4th.

Common Touch really excelled himself as a 3 year old and demonstrated how progressive an animal he was. On the back of a 7 month break, he ran a very good 0.5L beaten 2nd at Beverley off a mark of 80. In the 5 runner field, Common Touch broke well and pulled very hard early on as Paul Hanagan looked for a bit of cover. After about a furlong or so he got this cover and eventually went down narrowly in a tight finish. He lost absolutely nothing in defeat that day, especially given the winner Belle Royale has turned out to be a very progressive animal who rounded off her 3 year old campaign by winning 3 on the trot, the last impressively off a mark of 102 and the 3rd Kingscroft has also won off a 5lb higher mark. Risen 3lb for that effort, Common Touch returned to winning ways when landing a handicap at York over 7f by 1.25L. It was a very likeable effort and Common Touch saw out the trip very well and it was a tenacious and determined effort by Common Touch.

Risen 5lb for this effort to a mark of 88, Common Touch demonstrated his progressive nature when running out a very impressive winner over that same C+D as his at York win 10 days earlier as he romped home by 3.25L. In the field of 14, he was settled towards the rear and he made some very good progress before pulling right away in the final 150 yards to score in eye catching fashion. After this, Common Touch was risen 9lb to a mark of 97 as he attempted to land the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot but you have to ignore that effort. There was a massive bias to the group that raced on the stands side and Common Touch was part of the group that were clearly racing on the slower part of the track. The slightly softer Good to Soft going was also not have been ideal.

Common Touch had his final start as a 3 year old last July where he put in a good display to finish a 0.75L beaten 2nd over todays C+D off a mark of 95. That day, he was ridden along from a fair way out which is unlike him and he only really got going late on over the 7f trip as he made up a lot of ground late on. That race was only 0.33 seconds slower than Strong Suit's Group 2 victory the day before (although ground was probably a bit drier for this race) and the form looks good too. The winner Webbow put in a very good 1L beaten 2nd behind the very talented Eton Rifles on his next start whilst the 3rd Smarty Socks has won since off a 2lb higher mark and has put in a very good performance off a mark of 102 as well. Common Touch's fist start as a 4 year oldcame on the back of a 295 day absence and Paul Hanagan was commentating for Channel 4 that day. I got the distinct impression he liked this horse quite a bit.

His last two starts this year haven't been great either. In the Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot, he looked as if he was getting into things before having his run chopped off badly and he was eased but I don't think he would have troubled the first few home that day. His last start came at York and although the official going was good a lot of jockeys said it was very sticky after the ground was drying out. He shaped with more promise on this start but he could only finish an 8L beaten 7th. He returns to Goodwood today off a mark of 90 and given his previous efforts he's clearly rather well handicapped. Paul Hanagan takes over in the saddle and I think its rather interesting that theres been a fair bit of money for him already given that he hasn't been up to much so far this year. Richard Fahey has his string in great form at present and from a good draw in stall 5 and the drop back to 7f no problems I think he's going to run a very big race and hopefully he can resume winning ways in this Class 3 event.

newuser89

2.35 goodwood
Maxentius 11/2
Was very impressive winner at doncaster
And got tired in the mud last time.were he couldn't show his turn of foot.
He took the lead at newmarket last time with a furlong or 2 to go but he didn't last home in the conditions
I think he will go very close on this better ground.

swimming in a sea

3:10 Frankel nap:D

hucklebuck

The straight forecast is 1.15. No value in this at all

the groutch

3:10 Goodwood - Bullet Train

Goldcupfav

I'm going to chance whippers boy ew in the 2.35 around 20/1 so very impressed with his win at Epsom last time. After the race trainer said they'd go for a conditions race next then step him up to group company. I'm thinking that the horse must have come on again from Epsom win were he was still very green if there goin for this race today. Meehans horses goin well at the moment so worth a small ew for me.

torres9kop

I think kiaron o connells job is safe 😊