3 minute read
The last of five glorious days at Goodwood features the Group One Nassau Stakes for the mares and the Stewards Cup for the sprinters.
It's an interesting running of the Nassau, and probably a fairly strong running of the race with a trio of mares already successful at Group One level in 2015.
The most impressive of those was the 1000 Guineas winner Legatissimo. She was a strong 1000 Guineas winner, her and the smart Lucida pulling right away and running good time, and she has been forgivable in a couple since.
She might not have quite stayed at Epsom, launching away to look all over the winner before being run down and narrowly beaten by a 50-1 chance, and a slow pace in Ireland last time had her running on at the finish looking rather unlucky not to catch the more prominently ridden Diamondsandrubies.
It's hard to envisage a similar scenario tonight with good early speed engaged. Arabian Queen raced too keenly last time when going far too slow in the Falmouth. She's surely allowed to roll at Goodwood as that is how she has raced best. Star Of Seville races from the front and should be right there with her. Diamondsandrubies, Lady Of Dubai and Jazzi Top are others set to race handy so there should be a good bit of early pressure.
Click here for interactive speed maps for Goodwood tonight
Given that the race should set up nicely for the held up Legatissimo, who has a 5lb edge on her nearest rival Star Of Seville on Timeform's handicap, and so this must be seen as a terrific chance for her to follow up her Guineas win with further success at the top level.
The big betting handicap of the day, and indeed the week, is the Stewards Cup and it's a typically competitive affair with the favourite Magical Memory at 7/1.
He's the three-year-old in the line up and did impress winning a similarly open and competitive race at Newmarket last time out. He has upside and has to be respected but 7/1 is probably a touch skinny given the task he faces here.
Poyle Vinne won the Scottish Stewards Cup last time out and the win rates highly on Racing And Sports Ratings. He looks a solid each way hope at around 20/1 given that.
Tropics has to give weight all around here but he gave a huge sight in the July Cup last time and he was able to follow up a big July Cup peak (also finished second) with a win in 2014.
It would probably be one of the top handicap performances of the season, if not the handicapping performance of the season, but a twice Group 1 placed sprinter like Tropics is the right sort of horse for such acclaim and at 15/1 he's well worth having running for the good guys.