Glorious Goodwood gets underway this week and with the weather tipped to return to something like the previous high temperatures we were experiencing before the weekend’s rain, we can expect a truly “glorious” week of racing on perfect summer ground.
Flat racing’s high profile personality, Frankie Dettori, will be missing for the first couple of days but it will come as no surprise if he makes up for lost time later in the week.
Dettori would have been aboard the favourite Stradivarius in the Goodwood Cup on Tuesday, but connections should not be unduly worried as Andrea Atzeni is a more than able deputy and the colt should account for his six rivals to bring home the Cup again.
Wednesday afternoon sees Atzeni pick up another Dettori spare as he pairs up with Without Parole for a much anticipated clash with Expert Eye in the Sussex Stakes.
The John Gosden-trained three-year-old has known nothing other than victory in his career, winning all four of his starts and is likely to go off the marginal favourite over the Stoute runner.
Dettori will return to partner Veracious in Thursday’s Group One Nassau Stakes and she is likely to go off as one of the favourites.
The recent Pretty Polly winner Urban Fox will also be one of the aforementioned favourites. The four-year-old daughter of Foxwedge showed improved form on her first attempt at ten furlongs when she defeated the Oaks winner Forever Together.
Battaash is bidding to become be the first horse since Lochsong in 1993 and 1994 to win back-to-back renewals of the five-furlong King George Qatar Stakes on Friday.
Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, who owns Battaash, also has Muhmir, who won this sprint prize in 2015 for his trainer William Haggas.
The evergreen veteran, Take Cover, took this race in 2014 and 2016 and at the age of eleven will be trying to notch up win number three.
Understandably, the ante-post favourite for the historic Stewards’ Cup Handicap on Saturday is Dreamfield trained by John Gosden.
The Godolphin-owned four-year-old lost his unbeaten record when going down by a neck to Bacchus in the six-furlong Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot and will be a tough nut to crack.
Where Can You Watch The Races?
ITV Racing’s team will be bringing Glorious Goodwood to your living rooms this week. The station will show four races live on each of the five days of the festival, plus a range of other features about the meeting.
They will be joined by former jockeys Johnny Murtagh (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) and Tony McCoy (Friday).
The coverage each day will start at 1.30pm and end at 4pm.
Tuesday 31st July - Horse Racing Betting Tips:
13:50 - Matchbook Betting Exchange Handicap
14:25 - Qatar Vintage Stakes (Group 2)
15:00 - Qatar Lennox Stakes (Group 2)
15:35 - Qatar Goodwood Cup Stakes (Group 1)
16:10 - Nginous! Swiss Gin EBF Maiden Stakes
16:45 - Chelsea Barracks Handicap
17:15 - Matchbook Time To Move Over Fillies' Handicap
Wednesday 1st August
13:50 - Matchbook Betting Podcast Handicap
14:25 - Move Over To Matchbook Handicap
15:00 - Markel Insurance Molecomb Stakes (Group 3)
15:35 - Qatar Sussex Stakes (Group 1)
16:10 - Victoria Racing Club Maiden Fillies' Stakes
16:45 - EBF Breeders' Series Fillies' Handicap
5:55 - Goodwood Racehorse Owners Group Handicap
Thursday 2nd August
13:50 - Matchbook Best Value Exchange Handicap
14:25 - Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes (Group 2)
15:00 - Qatar Richmond Stakes (Group 2)
15:35 - Qatar Nassau Stakes (Group 1)
16:10 - Telegraph Nursery
16:45 - Markel Insurance British EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes
17:20 - Tatler Handicap
Friday 3rd August
13:50 - Bombay Sapphire Glorious Stakes (Group 3)
14:25 - Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes (Group 3)
15:00 - Unibet Golden Mile Handicap
15:35 - King George Qatar Stakes (Group 2)
16:10 - Unibet Nursery
16:40 - L'Ormarins Queens Plate Oak Tree Stakes (Group 3)
17:15 - Maltsmiths Handicap
Saturday 4th August
15:40 - Stewards' Cup Handicap
More links to Glorious Goodwood betting markets will appear throughout the week.
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
