Simon Holt previews day two of the Glorious Goodwood meeting and fancies Beat The Bank to win the Qatar Sussex Stakes.
Recommended bets:
2pts win Beat The Bank in 3.35 Goodwood at 7/1
1pt win Piedita in 1.50 Goodwood at 8/1
1pt win Making Miracles in 2.25 Goodwood at 4/1
For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record
BEAT THE BANK, a horse who completed a progressive three-timer last season winning at Listed, Group Three and Group Two level, can complete the sequence at the highest of peaks in Wednesday's Group One Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.
Andrew Balding's extremely likeable four-year-old comes here after another Group Two win in Ascot's Summer Mile in which he overcame being blocked to beat Lord Glitters by a neck with a little bit in hand having previously looked very unlucky when getting no run at all behind Accidental Agent (Lightning Spear third) in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.
I believe he would have gone close to winning that day.
Those two recent performances came on fast ground whereas Beat The Bank is possibly even better with a bit more ease having bolted up over this course and distance and at Newmarket (by five lengths) under such conditions last season.
Jim Crowley's mount has to give weight-for-age to some well-fancied three-year-olds but goes from strength-to-strength and can confirm the form with Lord Glitters to give Balding a second successive win after Here Comes When 12 months ago.
The market has been dominated in recent days by the three-year-olds Without Parole and Expert Eye, the latter supplemented after his runaway win in the Jersey Stakes last month.
Without Parole was also a winner at Royal Ascot, holding off the re-opposing Gustav Klimt by half a length (the pair clear) to extend his unbeaten sequence to four. Sent for home quite early that day by Frankie Dettori, the son of Frankel did well to see it out though this will probably demand a bit more and the runner-up was just a little bit disappointing at Deauville next time.
Expert Eye, a brilliant winner of the Vintage Stakes (7f) here last year, then became disappointing displaying hard-pulling tendencies and a problem at the stalls.
However, he clicked again at the Royal meeting and must have worked well since to warrant the late entry payment. In order to stay this mile, he will again need to be on his best behaviour and, as a son of the sprint-stallion Acclamation, there has to be a small doubt.
Lightning Spear, sixth to The Gurkha in this race in 2016 and third to Here Comes When 12 months ago, runs the course well and, while not always easy to win with, is another who demands respect.
Earlier, PIEDITA can continue the splendid recent form of Sir Mark Prescott's team by taking the Matchbook Betting Podcast Goodwood Handicap.
Since being upped to two miles, the daughter of Authorized has won three times from five starts, including when taking a fillies handicap at Chester earlier in the month.
That form is probably nothing special, but she went up only 4lb in the ratings and one strongly suspects that her shrewd trainer knows she is capable of going up by quite a bit more. Piedita looks all about stamina so should relish this marathon trip.
Smart staying hurdler Lil Rockerfeller is a fascinating contender, running on the Flat for the first time since 2015.
Given that there is usually about 35-40lb between Flat and Jumps ratings, the fact that this 153-rated hurdler can run here off 82 suggests he may be thrown in even if his mark was declining a bit last winter.
Goodwood has been a happy hunting ground for Middleham trainer Mark Johnston over the years, especially in the handicaps, and the Ryan Moore-booked MAKING MIRACLES looks a wildly progressive runner in the Move Over To Matchbook Handicap.
A highly impressive front-running, relentless-galloping winner at Haydock last time, the son of Pivotal first struck at Leicester in May (from subsequent winner Mt Augustus) and then was forced wide before staying on well behind Baghdad in the King George V Handicap at the Royal meeting.
Making Miracles is much preferred to stable-companions Lynwood Gold and Baileys Excelerate and, while likely to start favourite, will take some beating.
Preview posted at 1555 31/07/2018
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