ITV Racing Tips: Back King Of Cities to prevail at Glorious Goodwood on Friday

Day four of Glorious Goodwood is set to be headlined by Aussie raider Asfoora, who is a Group 1 Royal Ascot winner and bids to land the feature King George Qatar Stakes (15.05).

The feature race is one of seven on a busy afternoon on the Sussex Downs and the ITV Racing team are covering the first five races live between 13:00-16:00.

Our racing expert has picked out three horses to follow from day four of Glorious Goodwood.

Tip 1: King Of Cities - Thoroughbred Stakes (13:55) @ 11/4

The heavy rain yesterday has robbed the Thoroughbred Stakes (13:55) of its star turn in the shape of Opera Ballo, but in his absence it's worth backing KING OF CITIES to take advantage.

He is a strong stayer at this trip who was beaten only four lengths by Camille Pisarro in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly in June. That was over 1m21/2f on good to soft ground and King Of Cities probably found conditions too quick when he was beaten on good to firm going last time.

That was over a mile at Newmarket behind Opera Ballo and he didn’t get the cleanest run through. He simply didn’t have the pace to be competitive when the gaps opened up late.

However, speed won’t be the key to winning this race now that the ground is heavy. Instead it could be King Of Cities who puts his stamina to good use and Ryan Moore can be expected to go forward because he won’t want this to turn into a tactical race.

King Of Cities is a half-brother to soft-ground winner Inisherin and his dam Ajman Princess handled plenty of cut. 

That is enough to convince me that conditions have come right here.

Tip 2: Bopedro - Golden Mile (14:30) @ 25/1

A low draw is usually the key to winning the Golden Mile (14:30), but that might not be the case this year because they are sure to swing wide towards the stands’ side in the straight.

It’s therefore worth giving BOPEDRO a chance to overcome stall 16. He is well handicapped on the pick of his form and is now 1lb lower than when recording his last win at Newmarket.

He is also only 1lb higher than when fifth in this race 12 months ago and everything went wrong that day. He dwelt at the start and ended up poorly positioned, but ran on strongly inside the final half-furlong and was never nearer than at the finish.

Bopedro has been threatening to win a big one recently. He was third in the Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot, then third in a hot race at York next time behind a Group horse, and endured a luckless run at Ascot on Saturday when he might have been placed but for interference.

Trainer David O’Meara has won two of the last five runnings and knows what is needed. 

Bopedro also has plenty of form on soft ground, so the easing conditions aren’t a worry.

Tip 3: Try Storm Cat - Hawes & Curtis Nursery Handicap (16:20) @ 13/2

The 6f nursery handicap (16:20) looks like a good opportunity for the Charlie Johnston team to get one on the board as conditions have come right for the well-bred TRY STORM CAT.

He is a half-brother to the Group 1 winner Study Of Man, who showed all of his best form on soft ground in France and another of Try Storm Cat’s half-siblings, Tale Of Life, was a winner on heavy going. 

Everything points to the selection relishing the testing conditions this time.

He has steadily progressive form, too. Try Storm Cat’s figures read 321 and he was an easy winner at Pontefract last time, when he put two-and-a-half lengths between himself and the rest.

That wasn’t a strong race and improvement will be needed, but Johnston pinpointed this contest for Try Storm Cat straight after his Pontefract win and he looks capable of stepping up.