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Free horse racing tips for day three of the Glorious Goodwood Festival
Andrew Asquith has picked out two bets on day three of Glorious Goodwood.
Andrew Asquith Verdict: Thursday August 1
2pts win Palace Green in 1.50 Goodwood at 6/1 (bet365, William Hill)
1pt win Black Forza in 2.25 Goodwood at 12/1 (General)
It usually takes a very well-handicapped horse to win this three-year-old handicap – subsequent Listed and Group 3 winner Royal Rhyme won 12 months ago – and this year’s renewal looks typically competitive.
Midnight Gun has proved most progressive this season, winning his last two starts and duly proving himself on a good mark on his handicap debut at Newmarket last time, though he was only workmanlike (started the 15/8-on favourite). He will relish this step up to a mile and a quarter now and has to be respected on his first start since leaving Ed Walker.
Sisyphean is another horse going the right way, but my preference is for the Richard Hughes-trained PALACE GREEN, who has fared a bit better with the draw and continues to leave the impression he has an even bigger effort in his locker.
He showed the benefit of a gelding operation when opening his account on his return at Kempton in April, building on his promising Bath effort (strong form) from the year before and having far too much for some decidedly useful rivals.
Palace Green shaped well in a competitive race at York on his handicap debut next time, strong enough in the betting moving up to a mile and a half for the first time, but not settling as well as previously under a more patient ride which seemingly hindered his finishing effort after he moved threateningly into contention – he traded at 1.5 in running on Betfair.
He was also unlucky not to finish a lot closer in the Golden Gates Handicap at Royal Ascot last time, too, again taking a strong hold and was still full of running when caught in a pocket for a moment around three furlongs out before meeting more severe trouble in the straight.
Palace Green never had the opportunity to open up fully, finishing with running left at the line, and the feeling is that he’s a very well-handicapped horse. Indeed, Goodwood is a track that is notorious with hard-luck stories, but in the hope he gets into a good rhythm, and granted the breaks when they come, he is a horse I'm almost certain is up to winning a race of this nature from his current mark.
The Verdict: Back Palace Green in the 1.50 Goodwood
At the head of the market for the Molecomb Stakes is another horse who has been recently purchased by Wathnan Racing and has moved to new trainer H. A. Al Jehani. That is The Strikin Viking, who is a standout on form having been beaten only half a length in the Railway Stakes at the Curragh last time, but there looks to be other improvers lurking at bigger prices and I’m willing to take him on at the prices.
The horse which catches my eye is BLACK FORZA, whose sales price increased every time he went through the ring, eventually bringing £220,000 at the breeze-ups earlier this year.
Black Forza showed plenty to work on when finishing fifth - beaten five lengths - in a good-looking maiden at the Curragh towards the end of June, and that race is working out well, with several next-time-out winners emerging from it.
He built on that experience as expected when opening his account at Fairyhouse last month in good style despite being easy to back in the market. Black Forza had clearly learnt plenty from his debut, ridden with a bit more patience despite being dropped to six furlongs, and finding plenty in the closing stages to assert at the finish.
That was a good performance, while he also impressed with his attitude to keep a more experience sort who had already shown plenty at bay. That form received a boost when the runner-up bolted up in a handicap from a mark of 90 on his next start, so there is a fair bit of substance there.
He's American bred, so hopefully the ground stays on the fast side (there is the potential for thunderstorms), and he should have plenty more improvement in him, while he represents a yard who know the time of day. The stable don't send too many runners to Britain so it is interesting they have picked this prize for Black Forza.
The Verdict: Back Black Forza in the 2.25 Goodwood
Published at 1550 BST on 31/07/24
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