8.15pm Goodwood Tips & Betting Preview 09/06/2017

Just the seven runners that may well be six at best by race time but an interesting mile and a quarter handicap nonetheless with two or three fillies who may be worth following for the rest of the season and beyond. Read on for our full race preview to see which fillies they are!

IN SUMMARY: A tough call between the two horses here with Mittens a very serious danger to WHITE CHOCOLATE if she gets home over this trip in the softer ground. The selection won nicely on her return despite looking green and can only improve again though the two of them ought to have this between them, with Berengaria the choice for third.

1 BERENGARIA – Possibly more exposed than some after the four starts for trainer Mark Johnston with a win at Leicester on her second start and a third to Indulged at Doncaster on her return this season. That was on heavy ground and she seems better suited by a quicker surface but top weight seems a big ask and there are some improving sorts here who may well prove too good for her at this stage of her career. Her yard are, as always, in good form with sixteen runners in the last two weeks but she will need a career best to add to those statistics.

2 MITTENS – Sir Michael Stoute tops the trainers’ charts for this particular contest with five wins from his last twenty-six runners for a 19% strike rate and a level stakes profit of 10.21 points. The daughter of New Approach won her maiden over seven furlongs on the Lingfield polytrack before being put away for the winter. After that victory jockey Pat Smullen said “Mittens was a little bit keen first time out and Sir Michael was adamant I had to get some cover. When I did she relaxed beautifully and picked up well”, promising much for a profitable future. She looked the likeliest winner on her return at Pontefract before blowing up to finish third but with that run under her belt she ought to be a very serious player again this evening provided the ground doesn’t go to soft or worse which may not suit her.

3 NATHANIA – Won her maiden at Bath a shade cleverly by a length and a half at Bath last month but that was over a mile and three plus and she was running on at the death. Dropped back in trip today by trainer Richard Hughes, that seems an interesting move and she may even end up forced to make her own running because if this turns in to a sprint finish, others look to be better equipped to be competitive at this trip.

4 WHITE CHOCOLATE – David Simcock’s filly seems to be getting better race on race and is looking to land her hat trick here. After an educational debut at Newcastle on the all-weather she showed the benefit of that with a maiden win at Newmarket over seven furlongs before being put away over the winter to mature and strengthen. Well supported on her return at Salisbury she beat Billesdon Bess by a length and a quarter after which jockey Daniel Muscatt said “Mr Simcock was very positive and White Chocolate has done it really well. She was still very green but she has come on a lot since last year and I think she’ll definitely keep on improving”, and if that is the case she will take an awful lot of beating now.

5 GALLIFREY – Trainer Lucy Wadham is better known for her exploits over jumps and hurdles but has a decent enough filly here with this daughter of Derby winner Sir Percy. After a debut second at Newcastle she won her maiden at Kempton before reappearing yesterday at Sandown with a second to Titi Makfi, a length and a quarter adrift at the line. It seems highly unlikely she will take up this engagement as well, and even if she does, she looks a little outclassed.

6 ICONIC BELLE – Still a maiden after four starts with a second to Glitter Girl in July last year at Thirsk her only place. Last time out she was a two and a quarter length fifth to Vanity Queen in a Nottingham maiden and although she has bottom weight here she seems to have an awful lot to find. Trainer Mick Channon is ticking over at 10% lately while jockey Silvestre De Sousa is doing even better at 17% but even they may struggle to get this one to the front where it matters today.