7.40pm Goodwood Tips & Betting Preview 09/06/2017

An interesting 0-95 handicap over the mile and three-quarters here and a race won by just the single joint-favourite in the last ten years with others scoring at odds up to 11/1. Read on for an in-depth race preview.

IN SUMMARY: CHAMPAGNE CHAMP each way looks the value call at these prices and has a way above average strike rate and the will to win needed for an event like this. Back on turf tonight he seems sure to go well and could prove a touch too classy for Admiral’s Sunset and Mr Khalid who could be the ones for the places.

1 CHAMPAGNE CHAMP – Rod Millman’s five-year-old gelding already has a decent enough strike rate with five wins from nineteen starts and has placed on a further four occasions including both races this season. Two of his wins have been over this trip and although he was a well-beaten third to Flymetothestars at Newcastle last time out, nine lengths off the winner, that was on the all-weather and he is undoubtedly a better horse on turf.

2 GAVLAR – Eleven and a half lengths behind Champagne Champ last time out at Newcastle and only a pound better off this evening leaving him with plenty to find on that form alone. One win from six starts at the track at least prove he handles Goodwood for local trainer William Knight, though the yard aren’t in hot form with one winner from their last eleven runners and others appeal a lot more.

3 SAM MISSILE – An interesting contender for trainer James Fanshawe as the four-year-old tries a mile and six for the first time after finishing fourth to Sir Chauvelin over a mile and a half at Hamilton last time out, just the two and a quarter lengths off the winner when running out of steam close home. As a son of Smart Strike out of a Rock of Gibraltar mare it has to be questionable whether he will get this trip but the yard are in form with a 23% strike rate in the last two weeks and a 19.50 points level stakes profit, and thus cannot be simply dismissed here.

4 MR KHALID – Two wins from four runs, one each for Marco Botti and current trainer Roger Charlton when taking a mile and a half or so handicap at Windsor on his seasonal return in April. Put up four pounds for that by the handicapper he was sent to Kempton last time out when weakening quickly over a mile and three after racing far too keenly early on and failing to get home. The step up in trip today may yet give him more time to settle and as that was clearly not his true running, he may well threaten the places again today.

5 PARLIAMENTARIAN – Cheekpieces are worn for the first time this evening by Charlie Appleby’s Godolphin owned gelding who clearly stays this and further with a win over this trip at Sandown and a close up two length fifth to Yorkidding over two miles last time out at Haydock. If the headgear brings any improvement at all he could go well, but will be running on late through beaten horses and others may have a little bit more of a finishing kick. The stable are in good form with four winners from their last sixteen runners for a 25% success rate and if they go fast enough from the off he may yet get involved.

6 GETBACK IN PARIS – Just the one win from thirteen starts fails to inspire too much but he has placed second three times since joining Richard Hughes from Jamie Snowden and clearly has ability. Last time out he was only beaten a short head over a mile and a quarter at Windsor when showing plenty of battling qualities and is well worth a step up to this trip to see if it brings any improvement for the ex-jockey turned trainer.

7 GLARING – Used to be a top class stayer who finished runner-up in the Group Two Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at Longchamp in May 2015 when trained by Andre Fabre, but is sadly going backward now at the age of six, or so it appears. His last win was at Huntingdon over hurdles last December with some poor efforts on the flat since including a ninth of eleven to Top Tug over this course and distance last time out beaten over nine lengths, and although down four pounds and in class as well, he arrives here with plenty to prove.

8 RYDAN – May well be Gary Moore’s second string here (with Hector Crouch on Age of Wisdom), even though he appears in good heart with a second and a third from just the two runs this season. Both were over a mile and a half on the Lingfield polytrack and both saw him beaten by Sennockian Star, the latest when sent off the 11/8 favourite. He looked a bit one-paced in the finish which may be why they step him up in trip today, and if the stable were in better form (no wins from their last seventeen runners), he would be seen as an interesting contender.

9 ADMIRAL’S SUNSET – Trainer Hughie Morrison is ticking over nicely of late with three winners from their last nineteen runners for a 16% success rate and a level stakes profit of 5.00 points and with the son of Mount Nelson scoring by seven lengths over a mile and five at bath on his return he will be strongly fancied today. He is stepping up in trip and considerably in class (that was a Class Five), and does have an added nine pounds tonight but if he improves again he could still get involved in the finish.

10 AGE OF WISDOM – A first run in the United Kingdom for the ex Andre Fabre trained four-year-old who is now with Gary Moore in Sussex and likely to be one of the outsiders here.  Hector Crouch rides and is excellent value for his three-pound claim and with a win at Moulin to his name and places at Le Pin Au Haras and Saint-Cloud to his name he may not be the outsider his price suggests.