Guide to Glorious Goodwood + 55/1 Acca!

There’s no better way to start August than with Glorious Goodwood, five days of brilliant racing with the backdrop of the rolling Sussex countryside the perfect setting for Group 1 action.

The combination of elegant fashion and beaming sunshine lighting up the racecourse, it’s no wonder people flock to Goodwood where our ITV Racing Tips will be in full flow for the duration of the festival.

Three top level contests feature throughout the fixture and Alex Peperell has picked out a 55/1* Accumulator for the meeting.

Goodwood Cup Day

Upgraded to Group 1 status in 2017, Stradivarius has won both renewals of the Goodwood Cup since it’s been at the highest level and will be bidding for a hat-trick this season as he continues on his journey in search of successive wins in the Stayers Million series. He proved at Royal Ascot that he could hold off the young pretenders such as Dee Ex Bee and Cross Counter – it’ll take an exceptional leap forward from something to get the better of John Gosden’s star.

Key supporting races on the card include a pair of Group 2 contests, both over seven furlongs. The Vintage Stakes for two-year-olds is always a key race in the division, with five of the last seven winners going on to Group 1 glory.

Often attracting a competitive field, the Lennox Stakes is an ideal target for those that don’t quite get a mile and are at the best over slightly shorter.

Sussex Stakes Day

Being the most valuable race of the meeting, the £1 million Sussex Stakes has been won by some of the greats, including by Frankel two years running!

Even though he’s been a shade disappointing in certain races this season, Too Darn Hot was back to his brilliant best when taking the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat by an impressive three lengths last time out. The sharper nature and likely quicker ground at Goodwood should play to his strengths far more than the conditions in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, so he could be the standout miler.

A two and a half mile handicap gets the day underway, which is a fascinating race as the runners start from the winning post without stalls, racing up the track before a figure of eight brings them back.

The Group 3 Molecomb Stakes over five furlongs for two-year-olds precedes the Sussex Stakes which is always an exciting race to watch to identify the speediest youngsters.

Ladies Day

The final Group 1 of the week is on Ladies Day and is fittingly only for fillies and mares. The Nassau Stakes over a mile and a quarter separates the exceptional from the great, with the likes of Ouija Board, Midday and Minding all emerging victorious in recent times.

A pair of other Group races on the card with the Richmond Stakes over six furlongs for two-year-olds able to produce a supremely talented one. Subsequent top-level winners Dick Turpin and Shalaa are just a couple on the role of honour over the past ten years.

Sir Michael Stoute is a trainer to pay extremely close attention to in the Gordon Stakes having won three of the past five renewals, with the most recent two being Group 1 winners Ulysses and Crystal Ocean.

King George Day

Speed is undoubtedly the name of the game in the King George Stakes and Battaash has produced scintillating performances in the past two renewals of the contest. His win in 2018 was one of the best sprinting masterclasses you’re ever likely to see. Back at this venue, it’s hard to see anything getting near him.

Three Group 3’s on the card make for a quality day with the Oak Tree Stakes, Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes and the Glorious Stakes, the former named being especially difficult for punters with just two winning favourites in the past ten runnings.

The Golden Mile is one of the most valuable handicaps of the week, worth over £90,000 to the winner and Ryan Moore has won the past three runnings, so it’s worth taking a note of who he’s riding!

Stewards’ Cup Day

The six furlong cavalry charge of the Stewards’ Cup is one of the most anticipated races of the week, with a staggering prize of money of £250,000, this handicap is the big betting race of the week. Over twenty-five sprinters scorching the turf, if you pick the right one then generous returns are a definite possibility as the last two winners have been 25/1 and 20/1.

The consolation race opens up the card, which is a contest for those who weren’t high enough in the handicap to get into the big race itself.

A sole Group contest on the card is the Lillie Langtry Stakes over a mile and six furlongs for fillies and mares. Three-year-olds get a large weight allowance from their elders and Promissory looks like she could be a key beneficiary of that. Costing a whopping 1.1 million Guineas, she’s a daughter of Group 1 winner Seal Of Approval and looked as if she was only just getting going when winning over a mile and half last time, therefore a further step up in distance looks the logical step.

*best odds available at the time of writing