Glorious Goodwood Best Bets

The Euros may be over, and the beginning of the Premier League season a couple of weeks away, but the horse racing season continues to tick along nicely, offering its usual steady stream of quality entertainment. With Royal Ascot and the Newmarket July Festival done and dusted, it’s time to dig out the once-a-year Panama Hat as the action switches to the Sussex venue of Goodwood for a Glorious five-day bonanza. In common with Royal Ascot, the Qatar Goodwood Festival lays on 35 contests for our punting pleasure, including 13 rated at Group 3 level or above.

It all kicks off on Tuesday, 30th July, and here, using data presented by NewBettingSites.uk, we pick out our best bets in four of the biggest races across the opening four days.

Tuesday: HKJC World Pool Vintage Stakes – Goodwood 2:25

The Goodwood Cup takes centre stage on the opening day, but with Kyprios trading at odds-on and arriving on the back of a win in the Ascot Gold Cup, that race may turn into a one-sided affair. Giving that race the swerve, we will turn to what looks like a cracking renewal of this 7f event for the juveniles.

There are plenty of likeable sorts in here, including The Strikin Viking, who carries the silks of the red-hot Wathnan Racing, the Godolphin duo of Aomori City and Al Qudra, and the highly regarded Cowardofthecounty, who didn’t enjoy the rub of the green last time out at The Curragh. All have claims, but this can go to the trainer who has won three of the past ten editions – Aidan O’Brien.

By Kingman, and out of the Listed winning mare, Wonder Of Wonders, The Parthenon makes plenty of appeal on paper. In common with many from this yard, he looked in need of the outing when only fifth over 6f on debut but stepped up on that effort when getting up close home to score over this trip at Gowran Park. Likely to have improved further in the 44 days since that race, we like his chances under Ryan Moore.

• Recommended Bet - The Parthenon to win @ 7/2 with BetGoodwin

Wednesday: Qatar Sussex Stakes – Goodwood 3:35

Our Day 2 selection comes in the feature event as the Classic generation locks horns with their elders in a sizzling renewal of the Sussex Stakes. With five wins in the past decade, the older runners have held their own in this event and look set to be represented by Facteur Cheval, Maljoom and Sonny Liston this year. However, the betting suggests that the three-year-olds hold the edge in 2024, and we would tend to agree with that assessment.

The Richard Hannon-trained Rosallion is the obvious place to start on the back of his neck verdict over Henry Longfellow in the St. James’s Palace Stakes. Having also landed the Irish 2000 Guineas and finished second in the English version, it's hard to argue with his status as the odds-on favourite.

On the balance of form, Rosallion is the best horse in the race, but if there is a day to get him beat, this may be it. The son of Blue Point got away with his last-gasp style at the Curragh and Ascot but may find those tactics difficult to execute at Goodwood, where the field regular concertinas against the rail when moving into the home straight. As such, we fancy Henry Longfellow is the one to be on. Only just reeled in by Rosallion at Ascot, we expect to see him prominent early and able to kick for home first, with stablemates Mountain Bear and/or River Tiber likely setting the fractions to suit the mount of Ryan Moore. It will then be a case of whether Rosallion can get to him. At 10/3, we are prepared to bet that he doesn’t quite get there this time.

• Recommended Bet - Henry Longfellow to win @ 10/3 with LiveScoreBet

Thursday: Qatar Nassau Stakes – Goodwood 3:35

The fillies take to the track in the third Group 1 of the week, with the 2024 edition of this 1m2f contest looking like a difficult race to unravel. Aidan O’Brien’s Opera Singer is on her own at the head of the market at around the 7/4 mark, having finished a solid second to Porta Fortuna in the Coronation Stakes last time. There’s a lot to like about the daughter of Justify, but taking skinny odds about a filly stepping up to this trip for the first time makes limited appeal.

At 16/1, Elmalka is possibly a little disrespected, considering she landed the 1000 Guineas but again has to prove herself over this trip. Inspiral would rate a cracking each-way bet at 9/1 if anywhere near her best but has been some way below that level in two starts so far this season.

In a tricky heat, the most attractive option is an each-way bet on French raider Sparkling Plenty. Patrice Cottier’s Kingman filly arrives on a high, having landed the Group 2 Prix de Sandringham over a mile and the Group 1 Prix de Diane over 1m2½f in June. Proven over the trip and with a touch of class, we like her chances of hitting the frame.

• Recommended Bet - Sparkling Plenty each way @ 10/1 with AKBets

Friday: King George Qatar Stakes

Our Friday selection comes in the signature event for the sprinters, as a quality field of speedballs goes through the gears over the flying five furlongs. Big Evs, Starlust, and Bucanero Fuerte look the best of the three-year-olds, with the latter a little overpriced in relation to his contemporaries. However, with eight of the past ten editions falling to a horse aged four or older, the youngsters may be up against it.

George Boughey’s Believing took the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes in good style last time and can go well, as can Ed Walker’s Makarova, who looked a little unlucky when fourth in the 2023 edition of this race. Of those available at bigger prices, Rogue Lightning is better than he has been able to show so far this season and may get closer than his odds suggest.

All of the above have claims, but we fancy they will have to play second fiddle to the Australian speedster Asfoora. The Australian sprinters have historically been a little better than their British rivals, and that pattern continued in the 2024 edition of the King Charles III Stakes. Held onto until the furlong pole, Asfoora mowed down her rivals with the minimum of fuss to score by a comfortable length, with 10 of the current entries for this race in behind. Soft ground may put a spanner in the works, but with a sunny outlook leading into the meeting, she is the one to beat.

• Recommended Bet - Asfoora to win @ 7/2 with LiveScoreBet

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