Glorious Goodwood Day Four Preview: Will Battaash sprint to success again?
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We cast our eyes over Friday’s biggest races at Goodwood
While there may be no Group 1 races today, there are four Group races in total, with the brilliant sprinter Battaash in action in the King George Stakes
We’ve taken a look at all four of those Group races and picked out the runners most likely to claim glory at Goodwood on Friday.
Glorious Goodwood Day Four
13:10 The Tdn Australia Handicap
13:45 The Saint Clair Oak Tree Stakes (Group 3)
14:15 The Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes (Group 3)
14:45 The Golden Mile Handicap
15:15 The King George Stakes (Group 2)
15:45 The Queen’s Plate Glorious Stakes (Group 3)
16:20 The Nursery
16:55 The Maiden Fillies’ Stakes
One Master had an excellent showing in Newmarket’s Group 1 Falmouth Stakes with a close fourth-placed finish and will be looking to add to two Prix de La Foret wins here, with a trip that will suit her down to the ground.
Invitational could also be an interesting prospect back at a distance that could allow her to impress, after leading the Duke of Cambridge at Ascot over 1 mile, before going on to finish eighth.
Others to watch include Final Song who finished fourth in the 1000 Guineas, but looks out of form, while Breathtaking Look can’t be overlooked to place here.
A small field will mean all eyes are on Khaloosy after an impressive handicap run in the Brittania Stakes at Ascot, beating a field of 21. Trainer Roger Varian may look to field Khaloosy in Group 1 races if he can pull off another expected success here.
My Oberon is another real prospect with two Novice wins at Newmarket and York in recent months suggesting big things could be to come, while Tilset has also looked promising in two recent runs at Newcastle.
Supreme sprinter Battaash had an excellent 2019 including a third win in this race, while his only run so far of 2020 saw a comfortable victory at Ascot, winning by 2 1/4 lengths. Liberty Beach placed third in that race and could do so again here, although he’s unlikely to match the pure pace of the favourite.
Glass Slippers was also present at Ascot, but failed to give a good account of himself, finishing fifth and well off the pace. Despite that, Glass Slippers is certainly capable of better, as displayed when winning the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp in 2019.
Communique is the form leader and favourite here with two runner-up places at Newmarket and York in recent weeks. The second at Newmarket saw him outclass both Jim Crowley’s ride Desert Encounter and Alounak, with the former returning here after winning in 2019.
An impressive showing in the Hardwicke at Ascot means Alounak can’t be counted out either and while Communique perhaps has the slight edge based on that Ascot run, expect all three to contest.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication.
