Glorious Goodwood Day 3 Tips: A Quartet Of Thursday Selections

Thursday sees Glorious Goodwood of 2024 hit its halfway stage, with plenty of gripping races on the card sure to leave purists purring and punters puzzled. The Nassau is the headline attraction and as well as a selection in that contest, Billy Grimshaw has three more worth considering...

13:50 Glorious Goodwood - Coral Kincsem Handicap

It's 5/1 the field at the time of writing in Thursday's opener at\ Glorious Goodwood which shows how competitive this race is, but I'm very sweet on the market leader and new Wathnan Racing purchase MIDNIGHT GUN and will gleefully take prices like 5s about him. I'd expect him to go off around 3/1.

This will be Ed Walker's former charge's first run for Hamad Al-Jehani but that is no negative on the brief evidence we've seen thus far and with James Doyle riding well at the moment, I think there's plenty of upside in backing this strapping Kingman colt to rack up a hat-trick of wins. HIs father of course stormed to Sussex Stakes glory here ten years ago and while he's not in that league, I do love this step up in trip for him on the back of how most Kingman's perform over middle distance.

His win last time out was hardly jaw-dropping, scraping home as an 8/15 favourite, but that was over a distance I'm sure will eventually prove sub optimal and on what will hopefully still be ground on the quick side of good, he looks the one they all have to beat.

14:25 Glorious Goodwood - Markel Richmond Stakes

Wathnan Racing also have the hot favourite for the second at Glorious Goodwood in THE STRIKIN VIKING, who should take the world of beating here and although the price is hardly one to set pulses racing, I found impossible to oppose.

He looked a right weapon on debut at York when bolting up in a maiden there and enhanced his reputation still further in chasing home a horse who could prove to be top class in the fullness of time in Henri Matisse in the Railway Stakes, a Curragh Group 2 on just his second start. The pair pulled readily clear from what beforehand looked a packed field and providing The Strikin Viking runs to a similar level here, he'll win.

Of course in these two year old races there can be any amount of improvement from any entrant, but it'll take a good one to stop the favourite and regardless of if the rain comes as some forecasts predict I can't see past him.

15:00 Glorious Goodwood - John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes

Perhaps I am being daft here in taking on a lightly raced Ballydoyle hot pot who it is clear will improve for a longer trip and has patently not been seriously tested yet, but I didn't expect Jan Brueghel to be odds on across the boards for this Group 2.

Maybe the vibes are correct and he is a future Group 1 performer for Aidan O'Brien, but on form and at the prices I'd be more keen on BELLUM JUSTUM for King Power Racing, Oisin Murphy and Andrew Balding. The Sea The Stars colt ran a fine race for third last time out at Royal Ascot behind King's Gambit and Jayarebe and with a perhaps steadier pace here than the one he tried to force at the Royal Meeting before tiring he should be able to keep powering to the line rather than fall away with a whimper. 

The other Sea The Stars colt in here Align The Stars is also no mug on the back of his two good handicap wins, but I'd rather be with Bellum Justum and think he is the value play at the current prices on all known form.

15:35 Glorious Goodwood - Nassau Stakes

Wrapping things up for this column is arguably the most interesting race of the day on The Downs, the Group 1 Nassau Stakes. The market seems to think this is a two horse race between Opera Singer the three year old filly everyone is sure will improve a bundle for stepping up in trip, and Emily Upjohn, a filly who has been there done that and got the t shirt but also been called a few names in the process (along with her rider!)

There is no doubting the latter brings the best form and pure talent to the table but I simply could not trust her at around 2/1 and she is just the type who won't enjoy Goodwood at her age. Opera Singer would be the pick for me if this was just a two horse race, but at 9/1 surely 1000 Guineas winner ELMALKA is being disrespected?

Yes she surprised many at Newmarket but to my eye there was no fluke about her staying on win and for all that Opera Singer - who was ahead of Roger Varian's charge at Royal Ascot last time out - will improve for the step up in distance I'm almost certain Elmalka will too. There's no way she should be four times the price of the market leaders here and with many seemingly happy to throw out her 1000 Guineas win as nothing more than a fluke, I'm hopeful she follows in 2000 Guineas winner Notable Speech's hoof-prints and bounces back to the winners' enclosure at Goodwood after an Ascot blip.