The do’s and don’ts for a successful Glorious Goodwood Festival in 2022 👍

Five days of top class action, Glorious Goodwood is a fan favourite for very good reason. 13 pattern races await us over the five days, including three Group 1 races. The Goodwood Cup is the race many will be awaiting, as Stradivarius bids for a record fifth win in the race.

The other Group 1 races are the Sussex and Nassua Stakes. The biggest betting race of the week comes on Saturday, in the form of the Stewards’ Cup. A six-furlong dash, it’s ultra-competitive and shocks, more often than not, come to fruition.

We’ll have horse racing tips for all five days, but we’ve also come up with a handy guide of the do’s and don’ts of Glorious Goodwood. You can find them below, as we all bid to enjoy a successful five days!

Do: Remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint!

First and foremost, much like Royal Ascot, it’s a marathon, not sprint. Glorious Goodwood is five days of highly competitive racing and you don’t want to ruin your week on the first day. You’ll hear lots of people talking about bankroll management and it really is crucial in a week like this.

Set yourself a budget for your singles and multiples each day, making sure to stick to it. That way, you’ll have a steady bank to attack the meeting with each day. Perhaps most important of all, remember to practice safer gambling. Under no circumstances should you chase losses or bet beyond your means.

Don’t: Bet on every race

Following on from the previous point, don’t feel obliged to bet on every race. If you’re struggling to come up with an opinion for a certain race, it’s likely best to watch and invest that stake into a different race. These meetings are extremely difficult to make a profit at and being disciplined with your staking strategy is key for beating the bookmakers.

Do: Be smart with the favourites

That might seem like an obvious one, but if you’re like me, you’ll be searching for bigger prices. That isn’t always the way to go, however, as Goodwood is a track where favourites have done particularly well. In the last five years, this is the record for the favourites at Goodwood:

• 2yo Non-Handicaps: 37/93 (40%, -2.36)
• 2yo Handicaps: 8/20 (40%, +6.21)
• 3yo Non-Handicaps: 30/73 (41%, -2.86)
• 3yo Handicaps: 40/137 (29%, -12.53)
• 4yo+ Non-Handicaps: 27/50 (54%, +15.53) 
• 4yo+ Handicaps: 61/159 (38%, +36.92)

The most profitable favourites are those in the races for four-year-old horses or older, so make sure to keep that statistic in your back pocket.

Don’t: Undervalue the importance of a good draw

Although it may not be immediately obvious, the draw at Goodwood can prove crucial. There is a sharp turn that brings the horses into the straight, with a low draw crucial over the seven-furlong trip and the mile. Taking the Golden Mile as an example, since 2011, seven winners have been drawn in stall five or lower. That includes five horses who were drawn in stall three or lower.

Do: Follow the speedier horses

Goodwood is an extremely sharp track and as such, it favours horses who can flash that early speed. You’ll want to be favouring horses with speed rather than stamina this week, as being in a good tactical position is essential to winning races at this unique venue.

Battaash was the ultimate example of this point. He was a horse who suited the venue to a tee, with his tactical speed making him almost impossible to peg back by those trying run him down late.

If you back any of our selections you can watch them live on the free Racing Post app or racingpost.com. Simply log in to one of your bookmaker accounts and click ‘Watch live’ on the racecards.