Glorious Goodwood (15.45): Arabian Comet holds all the aces
Trainer William Haggas continues to be in tremendous form, and Arabian Comet can provide him with another success in the Group 3 Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood (15.45).
The filly improved at a rate of knots last year, winning three of her first four starts in handicaps before finishing a cracking runner-up in this 12 months ago.
Arabian Comet came from miles off the pace and flew home to go down by just 1/2 a length to the ultra-tough Missunited, and went on to be beaten just a nose in a Listed contest at York.
The daughter of Dubawi was also far from disgraced on her final start of the campaign when fifth in the Group 2 Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster, and has looked as good as ever in two runs this season.
Arabian Comet looked an unlucky loser in the first of those in a Listed 1m 4f contest at this venue, encountering all sorts of trouble in-running before keeping on strongly to finish a 1 1/2 length third to Miss Marjorie.
The four-year-old was then unsuited by the slow early pace when fourth in a similar affair at Newmarket earlier in the month, staying from off the pace and finishing with plenty of petrol in the tank.
Those efforts suggest that Arabian Comet is in tip top shape, and with the step back up to 1m 6f sure to suit she can go one better than last year to land the spoils.
Lustrous bounced back to her best last time out when runner-up in the 1m 4f Lancashire Oaks at Haydock and looks a big danger is building on that.
The Richard Hannon trained filly won a Listed contest at York on her second start last season and went on to run a blinder when runner-up to Bracelet in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Lustrous kept on strongly from off the pace to be beaten just 1/2 a length in the latter and was not stopping at the finish.
It was an effort which suggested that the daughter of Champs Elysees was worth a crack at this trip, and is seeing out the extra two furlongs then Lustrous has the ability to give Arabian Comet plenty to think about.
Coral’s top tip: Arabian Comet could be heaven sent for punters that back him.