Nick Luck
Nick Luck’s William Hill Blog: Glorious Goodwood Day Five Best Bets
William Hill ambassador Nick Luck previews the fifth and final day of Glorious Goodwood.
Saturday, Goodwood
HOPEWELL ROCK is the choice in the opening staying handicap (1.50pm) on the final day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival. He might well have won on his seasonal debut but was caught out of his ground, though he did go on to run well with a far from ideal trip at Royal Ascot last time out. James Doyle has looked elsewhere, but it will have been a tough decision, and Ryan Moore is hardly a bad substitute.
OPPORTUNITY is quite a confident pick in the Glorious Stakes (2.25pm). He was considered potential classic material last year but failed to show the requisite maturity. Given time, however, he has made up into a smart horse, and now is the time to take the step back into stakes company. With all due respect to his admirable stablemate Al Aasy, that is not an insurmountable challenge to overcome.
SANTORINI STAR could be the answer to a tricky and competitive Lillie Langtry (3.00pm). She was a bit out of her depth at Ascot, but she should find the step up in trip and return to her own sex much more to her liking. She won a good race here tidily last season, so the track should hold no fears.
MITBAAHY makes a fair bit of appeal in the Stewards’ Cup (3.35pm). He’s a very talented horse when on song and has posted excellent efforts at Ascot and Newbury this season. He has pace enough for this track and should enjoy the frenetic nature of this race. The draw looks to have been kind.
WE’RE GOOSERS is given a chance to atone for his Ascot flop in the Phase Eight Handicap (4.10pm). He’s been gelded since Ascot – which might explain why he ran so poorly – while the return to seven furlongs should help. Prior to the Royal meeting, he looked classy and progressive, and there should still be mileage in him off this mark.
AL WATHBA should be pretty hard to beat in the Maiden (4.45pm). He shaped with limitless promise at Newmarket, splitting the Vintage runner up Haffner and the subsequent winner Velociraptor. Normal improvement should see him breaking his maiden.
SPELL MASTER looks a likely one in the finale (5.20pm). He has moved forward steadily for his new yard and ran very creditably in the John Smith’s Cup. He is well drawn here and won’t mind coming back a furlong.
