Weekend Preview – Can Lancelot Land Back To Back Steward Cups?

[Wandering Eyes]

Saturday marks the final day of Glorious Goodwood and it’s a card packed full of fiendishly difficult handicaps. The first of these is the Stewards’ Sprint which is the consolation race for the Stewards Cup.

Sophie Ralston has built up a great rapport with Oeil De Tigre and the pair have landed a hat-trick of wins during the summer but that has resulted in a big rise in the weights and he may just be too high in the handicap.

The jockey booking that catches the eye is undoubtedly Ryan Moore on Ian Williams’s Boy In The Bar who is only one pound higher than his last winning mark. This course and distance winner has run well this season without getting his head in front and is a strong contender.

Recent Ayr winner Militia will be many peoples idea of the winner hailing from the formidable Richard Fahey stable and with Paul Hanagan in the saddle. The daughter of Equinao has won two of her starts this season and will be looking to add a third season victory under a penalty.

Selection: Boy In The Bar

The Summer Handicap gives the staying handicappers a chance to strut their stuff at Goodwood and the improving previous course winner Walton Street heads the betting for the contest. The very lightly raced son of Cape Cross had a profitable campaign in Meydan before finishing a credible third in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes behind Dash Of Spice.

Sir Michael Stoute runs Melting Dew who is seeking a hat-trick of victories here but the worry has to be that he’s been beaten on all seven attempts at a distance further than 1m 2f. However, on the upside, he has the assistance of Ryan Moore and seems to be on an upward curve.

Platitude has really recaptured his form since joining Amanda Perrett this season, with a course and distance victory and a runner-up finish in a Sandown listed race on both starts. The five-year-old finished midfield in the race last year behind Soldier In Action off a one pound higher mark but after a wind operation, there may just be more improvement to come from Platitude.

Others with chances include Pacify, Sofia’s Rock and Sir Chauvelin.

Selection: Soldier In Action

Dee Ex Bee finishing 2nd in the Derby

The Gordon Stakes is the only group race on the final day of Goodwood and Mark Johnston’s Derby runner-up Dee Ex Bee should win this comfortably if reproducing that form. The son of Farhh only faces three rivals in Cross Counter, Sun Maiden and Bombyx, none of which should really be troubling Silvestre De Sousa’s mount.

Selection: Dee Ex Bee

The Stewards’ Cup is the highlight on Saturday with twenty-eight highly strung horses set to do battle for the £250,000 prize fund. Three of the last seven runnings of this have been won by the favourite which gives hope to punters.

Last season’s Portland winner Spring Loaded has already landed a heritage handicap at Ascot this season over five furlongs but the return should be no problem to Paul D’Arcy’s charge and with Ryan in the saddle, he must go close.

Lancelot Du Lac was a surprise 25/1 winner of the race last year under Frankie Dettori and Dean Ivory’s inmate now races off a mark just one pound higher. His turf form has been poor this season but a return to form cannot be ruled out.

The class act in the race is Clive Cox’s Tis Marvellous who was a Group 2 winner as a two-year-old in France and the lightly raced four-year-old has shown consistent form this year including a fourth in the Wokingham. He got a two-pound rise for that run but still looks feasibly treated and must go close.

Glenamoy Lad is three from five since joining Michael Wigham from Ireland and even though he has to overcome a 247-day absence, the booking of champion jockey Silvestre De Sousa looks significant and he’s an intriguing contender.

Others with chances include Solar Flair, Gifted Master and Foxtrot Lady.

Selection: Tis Marvellous

The Listed Chalice Stakes is the feature at Newmarket where nine fillies and mares go to post. Crimson Rosette arguably has the best form on offer following placed efforts in listed and Group Three events on her last two starts. The removal of the hood is a slight worry but she still holds leading claims.

John Gosden and Frankie Dettori team up with Highgarden and although the Nathaniel filly has only won a novice event on debut she has run well in the Ribblesdale and a listed event over course and distance. She is open to improvement and is my idea of the winner.

Others to consider include Luca Cumani’s Alwaysandforever, Melodic Motion and Winginit.

Selection: Highgarden

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