ITV Racing Tips: Two At Goodwood And An Ebor Fancy

The Ebor is of course the highlight of the day on Saturday 26th August, but there is also high quality action taking place away from the Knavesmire at York. As well as providing a fresh selection to go with his antepost pick in the big race at York, Billy Grimshaw is on hand with his two best bets on the ITV Racing coverage down at Goodwood...

14:05 Goodwood - Prestige Fillies' Stakes

CARLA’S WAY was fairly well fancied for the Albany at Royal Ascot after costing big money at the breeze ups before making a perfect debut at Doncaster, albeit in a weak race. In the end she was sent off the 10/3 favourite at the Royal Meeting but her chance was gone early after she was far too keen and dragged herself to the lead before hanging right. James Doyle tried his best to get her back on task but it was no avail and in the end she actually wasn’t disgraced to finish just eighth.

Fiffh of her group that day, it is important if following me in and supporting her to bounce back here to clear your mind of that disappointment at Royal Ascot and instead focus on the positives. This step up in trip should mean she isn’t quite so keen and David Probert can hopefully settle her while still being prominent as she was on debut at Donny.

On breeding seven furlongs should be absolutely no problem and with the Crisfords giving her a wind op since Ascot, the hope is she doesn’t begin to panic as much as she seemed to be doing at Ascot and instead shows the ability which is clearly inside her somewhere. She is the 3/1 favourite here but the race, despite being a Group 3, is much weaker than the Albany and if she reproduces her debut effort she can reward favourite backers.

14:40 Goodwood - Celebration Mile

The feature race at Goodwood on Saturday in this supporting card to Ebor Day at York, the Celebration Mile of 2023 looks a cracking renewal. Charyn has been admirably consistent running in some of the big races this season and has been placed behind the mighty Paddington three times, so clearly has a fair bit of upside dropping in class here.

Aldaary is jousting for favouritism at the time of writing with Charyn and Epictetus but although he was very good in 2021 when a handicapper he has proved a tough horse to train for William Haggas and this season has looked half the horse he was. He finished behind Charyn and Paddington in the Sussex Stakes and I’d expect Roger Varian’s horse to uphold that form. Epictetus could be better than both judging by his fantastic win last time out over this C&D in the Thoroughbred Stakes last time out, but I’d want to see him do it again before backing him at around 3/1.

One horse I am fairly certain will run her race and looks a brilliant each-way bet is RANDOM HARVEST, who has been better than ever this season finishing just a neck second in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot  She followed that up with a somewhat disappointing effort in the Falmouth but that was a Group 1 and she simply is not quite at that level with Nashwa winning that race and proving since how good she is.

Back in calmer waters next time out at Ascot she won the Valiant (Group 3) and back up in Group 2 company here I can’t see her out of the frame. At over double the price of the three market leaders she screams value and looks likely to be the pace angle under Saffie Osborne, so hopefully she leads them all a merry dance from the front and lands the spoils.

The big race of the day and indeed the entire week comes from York and is of course the Ebor Handicap. We have a dedicated preview for the race penned by my colleague Steve Chambers which you can read here And I’m pleased to see he agrees with my long term fancy for the race. It never hurts to go into a race as competitive as the Ebor with two darts however and so as well as sticking with the main play REAL DREAM I am keen to add HMS PRESIDENT to the staking plan.

He has done me plenty of favours by placing and winning this season when put up as an each-way selection and I see no reason he can’t at least make the frame here, and hopefully get the win his performances so far this campaign have richly deserved. Alan King’s charge was so tough to win at Newmarket by a head from Torcello in the Howden Handicap and was only agonisingly denied at Royal Ascot by Okita Soushi in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes.

Clearly in rude health still, Alan King has given him a decent break before this race which has surely been the target all season for the six year old. Rossa Ryan has been in brilliant form all season and knows the horse well, and I’m hoping he can stay prominent throughout on the Knavesmire before seeing off all challengers. The Ebor is always a true test with plenty of pace on and these are conditions HMS President relishes, so back him each-way again here and let’s hope he can scoop another big prize.