It’s been a bit of a desperate quest for winners round the idiosyncratic bumps and bends of the G-Gs this week, with both Galway and Goodwood proving awkward opponents so far…
The Daily Yankee
NAP OF THE DAY: Bless Him, (1445 Goodwood), 2pts win, 18/1:
This race is traditionally full of hard luck stories. A low draw can demand using early pace or getting hemmed in on the rail, and that is the challenge for worthy favourite and well-in Prompting. Whilst a wide draw can have you out in lane 5 around the bends and that is the challenge for class act Montatham. Sir Busker has a good middle draw but loads more weight, and in the hope that the ground dries out even more, it could be worth risking fast-ground specialist Bless Him. The times were quickening up yesterday, and another drying day would suit this fella. Can be truly classy on his day when the hooves are rattling as he showed when cruising past top-notcher Lord North giving him 4lbs at Ascot last year. He got little luck at Newmarket on reappearance, and was out of his depth in Group 2 level last time, but he has been dropped for that, gets a nice middle draw, and has the inspired Tom Marquand on board. His hold up style will require plenty of luck, but we are getting amply rewarded for that with the giant odds.
One Master, (1345 Goodwood), 7/4: a very useful filly and a bit of an enigma. Her last two wins have both been in the Group 1 Prix de la Foret at Longchamp, but she has drawn a blank in lesser races in between. It may be worth forgiving her as 7f is a bit of a specialist trip, and bizzarely not only are those two wins her only wins in her last 11 runs, they are the only two at a strict 7f. Too often stretched to a mile of asked to go 6f, she finally gets 7f again here , and with no penalty for her Group 1 successes, she looks a riock solid favourite and banker leg for the yankee.
Canardier, (1815 Galway), 11/2: was one of our Cheltenham picks this year when making his debut for Willie Mullins. He was plugging on well at the end of the ultra competitive Coral Cup there when taking a tumble at the last. He would probably have made the frame, which is form a cut above most of these. Has to give weight away, but his top stable have shown already this week that weight is no barrier to success. Any further improvement for the Mullins factor and he should be very hard to beat.
Macgiloney, (1945 Galway), 6/1: a very unexposed chaser having just his third outing over fences. Obvious risks attached to that in this big field, but perhaps risks worth taking as his fluent recent win over 137 rated hurdler Doctor Duffy suggests this opening handicap mark of 128 is pretty fair. Has taken really well to fences and with a good claimer taking a further 7lbs off he is a very interesting challenger for a trainer who wouldn’t be one for chancing his arm in this way unless he thought there was a fair chance of success.
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