Glorious Goodwood 2022: My Nap, Lay & Big Priced Fancy Across the Festival

Glorious Goodwood is always one of the first weeks circled in any flat racing fan's calendar and our man Billy Grimshaw previews the five-day Flat extravaganza here with his banker of the meeting, his best lay, and a big-priced fancy that could run a massive race...

Banker - Free Wind - Lillie Langtry Stakes @ 5/4

The Lillie Langtry Stakes has had some cracking fillies take the prize over the years and this year another potential star holds favouritism. FREE WIND has looked something out of the ordinary for John and Thady Gosden and her win last time out at Haydock off a 296 day break proved she still possesses all the ability of last year, scoring by two lengths from Sea La Rosa. This was probably a career best from the daughter of Galileo but she has proven herself to be equally well equipped for 1m4 and 1m6 over the years.

The longer trip is the test she is set to face in this race and I think she goes off odds-on for this Goodwood Group Two so 5/4 currently available looks a good bet. Princess Zoe is listed as one of her main market rivals but will surely go for the Goodwood Cup, thus weakening the field in behind.

There don't seem at this stage to be any lurkers in the market, in fact the filly Free Wind conquered so readily at Haydock Sea La Rosa is next in the market at 6/1. The Lillie Langtry has in the past only attracted a small field when there is a leading contender such as Free Wind this season and it is not hard to envisage this race being in single figures for entrants and the Gosden's hot-pot being sent off a much shorter price than is currently available. 

Lay - Stradivarius - Goodwood Cup @ 6/4

There is no doubting that Stradivarius has been a legend of a stayer but that famous finishing kick that took him to so many of his victories does seem to have diminished a bit of late. There was a school of thought in the immediate aftermath of the Ascot Gold Cup, in which he was beaten by Kyprios, that with a better ride from Frankie Dettori he could've won. However, I am not sure I subscribe to this way of thinking as to my eye Kyprios always looked capable of finding more to see off his older challengers. Aidan O'Brien's charge is certainly the coming force in the staying division and despite Stradivarius's wonderful record at Goodwood and the old rider Andrea Atzeni returning to the saddle, I just don't see the old Gosden warrior having the tactical speed he once did to be able to get past the younger grinder in Kyprios.

Another notch against Stradivarius is the fact Trueshan could still turn up, albeit this is an unlikely scenario looking at the forecast and expected quick gound. His last appearance was the stunning Northumberland Plate win in one of the greatest weight carrying performances we have seen in years on the flat. Given his conditions he is arguably the top stayer around and if he makes it to the start he is a serious rival. Coltrane is another in the field not to be sniffed at after a hugely progressive season. He only went down a neck in the Chester Cup to Cleveland in May and on his two starts since he won a competitive Royal Ascot handicap before romping to a ten length success at Sandown. He looks capable of stepping up to Group class and could cause a shock here. With this stacked field of rivals and father time catching up on him, Stradivarius is begrudgingly my lay of the meeting.

Big Priced Fancy - Gulliver - Stewards' Cup @ 25/1

Course form is absolutely massive in horse racing but not many tracks are as unique as Goodwood, so a strong record on the Downs is always crucial when studying Glorious Goodwood antepost prices. One horse who ticks the box is GULLIVER, who just missed out in this race last campaign to Cammanche Falls by a neck. The first and second are quoted in this year's prices and with Cammanche Falls a best price 20/1 and the horse he just beat home at 25/1 I think Gulliver is worthy of a bet in this fiendishly difficult handicap. Rewatching last year's race Gulliver actually got one of the worst starts of the whole field when dwelling in the stalls, so to only have been beaten a neck in the end can be marked up. David O'Meara's runner is getting no younger but sprinters often age like a fine wine so that is no off putting factor.

Of course there are a host of runners who will have been primed and had their marks minded for this race, but with the promise of extra places soon to come Gulliver looks one of the each-way bets of the meeting to at least repeat his placed effort of last season and hopefully go one better to bring home a big priced winner.