Stephen Harris’ Goodwood Cup Day Tips

Charlie Hills hold-up sprinter has been running himself towards peak fitness in a light campaign so far this summer, catching the eye in a rather muddling small field contest at Sandown last time out. This Goodwood handicap should be much more suitable with Jamie Spencer taking over in the saddle, and there seems sure to be a strong early gallop to aim at on suitably decent ground (has dried out from the softer side of good at the weekend).

He has won eight of his 43 career starts so far and will be flying home late if seeing any daylight at all in the closing stages.

Richard Hannon always assembles a very strong team for this prestigious five-day meeting (particular in the two-year-old division where he has a terrific record over the years), and his precocious juvenile looked a high-class prospect when making an impressive racecourse debut at Salisbury in June (quickened clear smartly on the very fast ground).

A lesser effort in the mud sent over to Chantilly is easy enough to excuse (muddling pace in a small field), and he can resume his progress here with underfoot conditions expected to suit ideally.

Ralph Beckett continues in blistering form with five well backed winners in the last fortnight, and his unexposed filly looked one to follow into handicaps after an impressive novice win at Haydock in early June.

She did plenty wrong last time on her debut in this sphere at Royal Ascot, racing freely in rear initially and never a factor in a huge field for the Sandringham. That effort is best ignored, and she remains with plenty of scope to progress further after just four career starts so far for her excellent connections.