Nick Luck
Nick Luck’s William Hill Blog: Glorious Goodwood Day Three Best Bets
William Hill ambassador Nick Luck returns for day 3 of the Goodwood Festival with his best bets, including a surprise pick in the G1 Nassau Stakes.
Thursday, Goodwood
DIAL ME IN looks appealing at odds in the opening Kincsem Handicap (1.50pm) on day three of the Goodwood Festival. He was progressing sharply before Ascot, where he was poorly positioned over a trip too far. Well drawn here, and with the stable jockey back on board in Dylan Browne McMonagle, he should appreciate the return to ten furlongs.
JAAN KI TUKRI could be overpriced in the Richmond (2.25pm). Not far behind a few of these in the Coventry, he’d have been in the mix there with a better draw, while headgear looks to have really sharpened him again since. It seems highly likely that this speed favouring track will suit, and he could hang in there for a long time.
GERYON is the pick in the Gordon Stakes (3.00pm). Although his pedigree doesn’t scream twelve furlongs, everything about his running style and stride suggests that he could stretch his speed to this distance. He looked to have really got his act together in a fair Group 3 at Leopardstown last time and can go well.
BOTAGOZ can spring a surprise in the Nassau Stakes (3.35pm). While Diamond Necklace is sure to be a tough nut to crack, her form has a few holes in it. Meanwhile, Friendly Soul might find the ground lively enough for her at this trip, and See The Fire looks to have just lost half a step. The selection – supplemented for this race – is moving forward fast, should love the conditions and has the pedigree to be a proper Group One filly.
SCHRODINGER’S CAT can land a blow for the North in another super competitive sprint handicap (4.10pm). Better off at the weights with Naana’s Shadow from their meeting at York, the selection continues to show really bright pace, which should stand him in good stead here, and he looks to have the best of the draw as well.
MIA FANTASIA can win the Nursery (4.45pm). He was quite impressive on his debut at Carlisle and ran pretty well behind the Vintage winner Dr Rascal at Ascot, perhaps able to finish closer if slightly handier. A mark of 79 looks very reasonable, and it will be a surprise if he can’t take a hand here.
SIENA STORM might be able to defy inexperience in the seven-furlong maiden (5.20pm). She has a very classy staying pedigree but encouragingly moved her yearling price up very sharply at the breeze ups, with her data suggesting she could run fast as well as long. The stable has some very good two-year-olds by which to measure her, and this looks an interesting entry.
EXCLUSIVE CODE can make up for a luckless Ascot in the finale (5.55pm). He ran really well on the wrong side in the Britannia, and it’s hard to imagine he’s not still well handicapped off his current mark given the measure of his win in a huge field maiden at Newbury in the spring.
