Race Time: 2.05pm Meeting: Glorious Goodwood Distance: 1m 1f 192yds
Full Race Name:  Land Rover Stakes (Handicap) (Class 2)

The first race on day three and it doesn’t get any easier but Godolphin are really hoping that Racing History (late NR ) (5/1) is a bit better than a handicapper, in which case he should win this with plenty in hand off a rating of 99. A son of the legendary Pivotal, he was a let down on his debut when backed down to 7/2 at Newmarket, after which he was promptly put away for the winter and left alone to grow and strengthen. That patience has been rewarded so far with two wins already this season, the first by a very easy five lengths in a Haydock maiden over a mile, and the latest at Chester when slowly away before comfortably pulling clear of his field for a length and a half victory. Put up another eight pounds for that we suspect they think he is still ahead of the handicapper here and with a Group Two entry at York it will be interesting to see how he runs today.  As you may have noticed, we are pretty keen on the William Haggas yard, not through any bias but through results – they are just so good at preparing horses for races like this and are now getting better quality in the stable year on year so are basically going from strength to strength.

Awesome Power (10/1) is his runner here and after winning a Class Three handicap over nine furlongs at Sandown he was sent off the 5/2 favourite at Newmarket next time out but ran a stinker and finished ninth of ten. A Stewards report defined that the ground was too quick for him that day but back with a little bit of cut as seems likely here (we can’t see it getting to good to firm unless the sun comes out), he seems sure to run a much better race this afternoon and is a very serious danger.

For reasons unknown the quiet yard of Marcus Tregoning is suddenly the firing on all cylinders yard, with winners left right and centre, and he will be hoping for a big run from recent Newbury scorer Shaakis (14/1). After stumbling out of the stalls that day jockey Louis Steward sensibly allowed him the time needed to recover before bringing him with a winning run that saw him swoop late on over the mile to win going away. He could run a big race here hence the mention, but his breeding suggests this trip is beyond his abilities, as did his rune over ten furlongs at Epsom where he looked very one paced before finishing a well beaten eighth of thirteen. Roger Charlton has decided to send beaten favouriteScooner (11/1) here and he is pretty much the opposite of Shaakis – his run over a mile last time saw his rivals show way too much speed for him, and he looks as if this close to ten furlong trip is just what he needs! A staying on maiden win at Wolverhampton over a mile and half a furlong saw them up him in trip here at Goodwood where he was a perfectly acceptable second to River Dart (received twelve pounds) who caught him fast and late, but off a lower weight himself today that seems less likely. Cam Hardie has been booked to ride and takes a useful three pounds off his back, and we can certainly think of plenty of outsiders with less chance of success than the son of Mizzen Mast today.

Keble (11/2) is the last of our five suggestions here, with Frankie Dettori on board the John Gosden colt, and with that pairing doing little wrong this season. As for the horse, one third three seconds and a solitary victory from his five starts makes for interesting reading, though there is a little more depth to it on closer inspection. Looking at those who beat him, he was two lengths or so behind Stravagante at level weights and he is now rated 100, and then eight lengths behind Intilaaq (114), which would average out at a rating for him of about 98, yet somehow he gets in here off of 91 and could be thrown in? Sadly, we aren’t willing to take that form at face value, and he does look the sort who will try to find at least one too good for him given the chance, but each way punters will find him of interest and get no arguments from us, especially  now that that Racing History is out of the contest!.