Paul jacobs
Paul Jacobs selects his ones to watch ahead of a fascinating week at Glorious Goodwood
Naps expert with his take from the Festival
Ishall be working at Glorious Goodwood this year and the thought of seeing that wonderful view backed up by one of their famous seafood platters fills my heart with joy.
The problem is such wonderful experiences cost more than a shekel or two so the money making project down Sussex way needs to start on day one in the Lennox Stakes over seven furlongs.
At the time of writing there are 35 entries in this Group Three affair, but the one that catches my eye is LIBRISA BREEZE.
Dean Ivory’s charge is fairly lightly raced for a five-year-old with just the 13 starts under his belt, but there is solid reason to believe that we have yet to see the best of him.
He recorded a career best effort in a 7f Heritage Handicap over this specialist trip last backend of Ascot and has continued to impress with two Group One placings behind The Tin Man at the Berkshire venue,the latest of which came in the Diamond Jubilee last month.
Indeed,Ascot has been the scene of five of his last six outings and on each occasion the son of Mount Nelson has run out of his skin.
But the bare facts of those efforts suggest he wants a seventh furlong on ground ideally with no jar in it so if the‘Glorious’tag is threatened by a bit of rain early in the week I for one will not be too downhearted.
A top price of 10/1 would almost cer- tainly metamorphose to around 6/1 if he gets his ideal conditions and makes him a solid each-way play against the likes of Dream Castle and Dutch Connection.
The Qatar Goodwood Cup has been moved back from Thursday to Tuesday which seems a shame as it should really be a midweek highlight of the meeting.
However, it has been granted Group One status for the first time and although I was against it being dropped in distance from 20f to two miles it has attracted a much bigger entry in recent years.
Ascot Gold Cup winner Big Orange heads the market, but a quote of even money makes the market for the rest of the field and if you forgive Simple Verse her tailed off effort in the Royal race she could run well having shown a liking for the course in the past.
However, the percentage call has to be the progressive HIGHER POWER at around the 14/1 mark.
Yes he has five lengths to find on Michael Bell’s charge on Henry II form, but he has since put up a smart effort to land the Northumberland Plate and he comes from a family that always seems to improve with age as he will need to in order to turn around that deficit.
With Winter likely to run in the Nassau Stakes, the Sussex Stakes on Wednesday will remain a job for the boys and Ribchester has an obvious chance following back to back wins in the Lockinge and Queen Anne,but lurking on the 10/1 mark behind Fahey’s charge and 2,000g hero Churchill is the French trained ZELZAL.
This Sea The Stars colt arrives at this festival highlight somewhat under the radar following his success in the 2016 Prix Jean Prat followed by unlucky in running efforts in the Prix Du Moulin and on his only start this year in the Prix Bertrand.
He is much better than those performances suggest and looks a fascinating each-way play for Jean Claude Rouget.
Finally, HORS DE COMBAT (Betfred Mile) and NAGGERS,granted some give in the ground in the Stewards Cup will be my big handicap plays of the week,while the downhill rush in the King George Stakes has me drooling over my nap bet of the week on the massively progressive BATTAASH at around 3/1.