2.55pm Goodwood Tips & Betting Preview 23/05/2015

Race Time: 2.55pm Meeting: Goodwood
Distance: 7f
Full Race Name: 888sport Stakes (Handicap) Class Two

Free Tip: My Dream Boat to win at 11/2 

We just love seven-furlong races which, as we have mentioned before, are over a pretty specialist distance – too far for the sprinters, too quick for the milers, so generally speaking we are inclined to concentrate on distance winners in the main. Only seen of the early seventeen qualify on those grounds, but course and distance winner King To Be (11/2) is the first to discuss. Trained by Richard Hannon whose stable are in top form right now, and to be ridden by the excellent Cam Hardie (who takes a valuable three pounds off his back), he won his maiden here first time out this season – but then took a backward step when only fifth at York when we felt Ryan Moore may have left him with a bit too much to do. We doubt they make the same mistake again today and if he can be left a bit nearer to the pace then he seems sure to have a decent enough chance at the weights to get in to the first three as a minimum. With the Mark Johnston yard continuing to fire in plenty of winners, sometimes with the less expected runners, we cannot ignore top weight Mister Universe (11/2) who won last time out at Ascot in a similar race and although hammered by the handicapper via a ridiculous six pound rise must surely have some kind of chance. The stable’s horses are always as tough as teak and never give in when the chips are down, and as a fighter for a stable in form could make the frame as the barest minimum, though we admit we would be even happier had Silvestre De Sousa been in the saddle again today.

If you are looking for a “top of his game” option, (and who can blame you), then look no further than Jim Best’s Mullionheir (8/1) who has already won all three of his races this season, at Chelmsford Kempton and Lingfield, two on the all-weather and the last one on the turf. He did win nicely enough at the Surry venue but has been put up eleven pounds for the privilege, and we are sorry to say we suspect that will be enough to stop him against some of these better quality rivals, though the runner up at Lingfield has won since so the form is at least looking better than average.  My Dream Boat (11/2) is another who arrives here at the top of his game having taken his maiden at Doncaster over this trip in fairly competent fashion, but whether he deserves a rating as high as 84 based on that run is very much open to question, while Felix Leiter (16/1) is an each way alternative for those who like that sort of thing. He ran a stinker when only seventh of ten on his Newmarket return considering he had won three races on the bounce as a two year old, though he did look as if he needed the run tat day and may be better over this furlong further trip – certainly worthy of a second look if his price is big enough to compensate.