Hollie Doyle has five good chances on the final day of Goodwood including Albasheer in the Stewards' Cup; she also takes a brief look at the King George Qatar Stakes where she will be cheering on her husband and Big Evs.
Friday 2 August 2024 10:47, UK
Leading Stewards' Cup contender Albasheer is Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie's main chance on the final day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival on Saturday.
It was great to get my old friend ALBASHEER's head back in front in a valuable handicap at Ascot last weekend, and he has the talent to follow up if in the same mood in Saturday's Coral Stewards' Cup (3.35) at Goodwood.
Archie Watson has his six-year-old in a good place, both mentally and physically, which is key to these top sprinters. He loves to rattle home off a strong pace, and he'll certainly get that in this 6f cavalry charge.
A 6lb penalty shouldn't be enough to stop him - he's good enough to defy a mark of 104 and carried a bigger weight at Ascot the other day.
Wathnan Racing's Dark Trooper has been all the rage in the betting this week and deservedly so after his big effort to finish second in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot, but I wouldn't swap Albasheer in his current form.
The step up to 1m6f could be the making of SWEET MEMORIES, who can give the principals a scare in the Group 2 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes (3.00).
I know John and Thady Gosden's filly well, having won the Listed Chalice Stakes on her at Newmarket a year ago. Things didn't work out when I rode her again in the Fillies' & Mares' on Champions' Day at Ascot, but she stayed on with purpose in the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks last time when hinting she was ready for a greater test of stamina.
Though the Gosdens also have the likely favourite in Free Wind, I do think this lovely daughter of Sea The Stars can go really well, as long as the ground isn't too quick for her.
The Coral Summer Handicap (2.25) at Goodwood could be an ideal assignment for John and Thady Gosden's INTINSO, who has shown enough in two big handicaps this season to be taken seriously here.
He had excuses in the Copper Horse at Royal Ascot last time but is better judged on his placed efforts in the Rosebery Handicap at Kempton and again at Newmarket's Guineas meeting.
My boss Imad Alsagar's grey son of Siyouni remains lightly raced for a four-year-old. This will be only his 10th start, and John and Thady look to have him in top order.
The main question mark is the undulating track. He's a big-striding horse, but if he gets into a good rhythm he definitely has a big race like this in his locker.
COGITATE found himself drawn on the wrong side when I rode him in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot but still ran well for a long way - I thought he was going to do some damage until the petrol tank emptied. However, dropping back in trip for the 7f Whispering Angel Handicap (4.10) could see him bang there.
I won on Charlie Hills' colt on debut at Newbury last summer and, after only four career starts, the son of Churchill remains relatively unexposed. He has such a lot of ability but just needs to learn to apply himself properly.
I absolutely love Simon Dow's gelding DESFONDADO and would be thrilled to win on him for the third time in the Coral We're Here For It Handicap (5.20) at Goodwood.
Those previous wins came on the All-Weather at Kempton, but he proved he can operate on quicker ground when fourth over 1m at Ascot last month.
We're drawn in the car park here, which doesn't help, but he's a big, strong horse with plenty of ability, so we'll hope for some luck and keep our fingers crossed that the ground doesn't get too quick for him.
Though I'll be riding at Southwell, I'll be shouting for my husband Tom Marquand and Big Evs in Friday's feature race at Goodwood, the King George Qatar Stakes (3.35).
He's a brilliant horse who will be much more at home on this easier 5f than he was over that stiffer test at Ascot in the King Charles III Stakes.
Big Evs has already proven himself on this track after winning last season's Molecomb Stakes, but I think it could be tough for the Aussie horse Asfoora. She beat Mick Appleby's star at Royal Ascot but will find this speed test completely different to anything she's encountered before.
It's already been an amazing week for Mick and his owners after saddling the first and third home in the Molecomb on Wednesday, and I'd love to see Tom round it off in style.