It’s been a good Goodwood for the Don and his loyal band of members as I predicted last week.
Goodwood is a real specialist track for jockeys and we have seen the good the bad and the ugly from the jocks this week.
I see one of my BetFan colleagues was giving young William Buick some right stick and sadly my members would have made much more but for his dreadful rides this week. Buick is not without talent but like others I wonder if he is up to a top job like stable jockey at John Gosdens. I knew that Canbourne was ready to go for his seasonal reappearance and got all my members on at 14/1 in the morning as I knew it would be smashed in and it duly went off at 8/1. To say the horse was given a lot to do is a world record in the understatement department and the poor horse did amazing to be second. What made it worse was he couldn’t keep it straight and though we copped the each way profit it was sickening to see a cracking bet ruined.
I get some great info from this yard and I’m a huge admirer of Gosden but rides like this make me question how much I want to back them, trust is everything between a punter and jockey and it’s not there at certain tracks with Buick. Everyone is rightly talking about Richard Hughes and he has been superb but Ryan Moore really is at the peak of his powers and watching him at Windsor the other day in the flesh made me realise just how much stronger he is than anyone else riding. Horses must think oh God it’s him again when they get into the paddock.
The meeting draws to a close with a cracking card and as the Don loves a big handicap we are going to the Stewards Cup for our Saturday Special. It is one of the great puzzles of the season made all the harder by the course. Goodwood is a stunning racecourse and though lacks the atmosphere of York or Ascot it beats them both for visuals. It is very undulating though and many horses just do not act there.
Masterstroke for Godolphin yesterday just didn’t want to know and there have been many others. In a huge field sprint like the Stewards we need a brave horse who has proven himself in big fields with a jockey who is brave and can handle this type of challenge. One horse leaps out and must be backed each way at 11/1 with Betvictor who are paying 5 places. The horse is the Kevin Ryan trained York Glory and Jamie Spencer takes the ride. They are reunited after winning at Ascot and are a terrific partnership as Spencer is a master over sprint distances. I think York Glory is a group class sprinter and I understand he is proving that in his work at home recently. In a Race such as this there will be many who have been aimed at this and will be well handicapped but York Glory may just be a cut above these and aged 5 could be about to become a leading sprinter. Ryan is a master at improving sprinters and I think York Glory can lift this prize before going on to some group 1 sprints.
All in all its been a first class Goodwood, lets end it in style with York Glory, trust in the Don those who joined this week have been rewarded.
Back next Saturday.
The Gambling Don
http://go.betfan.com/1000/119
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