Glorious Goodwood Tips: Ross Millar with three to follow for Tuesday

Ahead of the opening day of Glorious Goodwood 2022, Ross Millar offers up his three selections for the action on Tuesday afternoon in West Sussex. Starting with the highly-anticipated Vintage Stakes.

2.25 Goodwood - Vintage Stakes

This race largely revolves around whether the surprise debut win of Holloway Boy in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot is a credible form line. Given that he appeared to surprise connections with that win and that furthermore both the second-placed, Pearling Path, and fourth-placed, Finn’s Charm, have failed to frank the form by finishing last on their next starts, it’s possible the bare value of the form is not worth all that much.

I would also question whether this track will suit Karl Burke’s Ulysees colt - at Ascot, his final furlong over the stiff seven-furlong trip was comfortably his most impressive, suggesting stamina is his primary tool. The speedy track here at Goodwood will not require such reserves. With all this factored in, I believe he simply has to be opposed.

Mark and Charlie Johnston have made no secret of the fact that this is a meeting they love to target, and were victorious in this contest in 2018 courtesy of Dark Vision’s impressive win.

This year they are doubly represented by the unbeaten duo of Dornoch Castle and Dear My Friend. It is the latter, a son of Pivotal, who most interests me. He has looked impressive in both starts to date, winning on debut over six furlongs at Carlisle on his debut – despite being green in the early stages – before following that with a bloodless win when upped to seven-and-a-half furlongs at Beverley. Both races have worked out well and I like that having won over six furlongs he should be able to travel within himself while also clearly having sufficient stamina for this trip.

His owners Middleham Park racing have enjoyed a fine season with their two-year-olds, most notably Eddie’s Boy, and I’m confident they have a good chance of adding another win to the list with this unbeaten colt.

Selection: Dear My Friend 7.2

3.00 Goodwood - Lennox Stakes

There are precious few Group-level contests over seven furlongs in the British racing calendar, meaning horses often have to stretch their stamina to a mile or hope for strongly run races over six furlongs. Sacred is one such filly who has found the opportunity to race over this trip in short supply, but when she has been given the chance, she’s excelled with a record of two wins from two starts. I expect her to make it three in this contest.

She blatantly failed to stay the mile trip in last year's 1000 Guineas before bouncing back to form on her next start at Newbury, over this trip, comfortably accounting for the re-opposing Laneqash. Her seasonal reappearance was a fine effort, racing over six furlongs in the Group 1 Platinum Jubilee - she did fine late work to only be beaten just under a length.

Both Pogo and Lusail who sit behind her in the betting seem better suited by a stiff seven furlongs, while last year's winner, Kinross, is going to have to cope with significantly faster underfoot conditions than he had 12 months ago.

Laneqash looks overpriced given that she’s twice the price of Pogo when only a nose separated them in their last clash at Haydock. However, she was beaten by Sacred at Newbury on these same terms and I see no reason why she’ll reverse that form.

Sacred has her ideal trip and ground conditions so I’ll be bitterly disappointed if she doesn’t win this under the excellent Tom Marquand.

Selection: Sacred 3

3.35 Goodwood - Goodwood Cup

It’s a fair assumption that, providing the weather forecast is accurate, Trueshan will skip this engagement due to the quick ground. While his absence will certainly diminish the contest, it is some consolation that we should still have eight runners offering us a proper each-way market.

The Ascot Gold Cup last month was an exciting watch, but in truth left plenty of questions. Stradivarius endured a troubled passage under Frankie Dettori (who is now replaced by Andrea Atzeni) while the winner, Kyprios, also had a far-from-fluent trip and got caught wide entering the home straight. As a result, I don’t see much value in those at the head of the market here and instead have focussed on the potential each-way angle.

Coltrane is a rapidly improving performer this year. He was excellent at Ascot when winning the Ascot Stakes under a positive ride and then showed previously unseen versatility when pouncing late at Sandown last time over this trip when given an excellent waiting ride by Rob Hornby. He’s clearly progressing and his versatility is valuable, given that he can adapt to many different pace scenarios.

However, I’m going to take a chance that the presence of both Nate The Great and Thunderous will ensure that this is run at a solid pace, and if that’s the case I think Enemy is hugely overpriced at around 50/1. He’s still unexposed as a stayer with only two starts over this trip. At Ascot on the first occasion, he was hampered twice when a luckless third behind Princess Zoe – I’m sure with a clear run he’d have been a convincing winner. Then, on his last start at Sandown, he was the victim of being dropped out off the pace in a race that was run at an insufficient gallop and therefore suited those ridden handily. He will need luck in running but I’m confident this son of Muhaarar has more to come over staying trips and can cause an upset here.

Selection: Enemy 48

Recommended bets

Dear My Friend (2.25 Goodwood) @ 7.2
Sacred (3.00 Goodwood) @ 3
Enemy (3.35 Goodwood) @ 48