Race specialist MASTER THE WORLD is fancied to put up another bold showing in Friday's Unibet Golden Mile at Goodwood.
David Elsworth's seven-year-old won this last year (off a 3lb lower mark) and was also second, looking a bit unlucky, when second to the well-handicapped Franklin D in 2016.
With Jim Crowley in the saddle this time, Master The World should be all the better for his comeback run in the John Smith's Cup at York recently.
That was the grey's first outing for over two months after a busy winter/spring campaign during which he won at listed and Group Three level on the all-weather and was also narrowly beaten on Lingfield All-Weather Finals Day.
Drawn nine looks ok (this is a race in which high draws can be a big disadvantage) and, given the essential luck in running round Goodwood, he is set to go close again.
Both Escobar (2) and Seniority (3) have big chances from their low stalls positions, especially the latter (Ryan Moore aboard) who I thought ran well when eighth in the Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot but others with otherwise obvious chances such as Zhui Feng (20), South Seas (13) Original Choice (17) and Cape Byron (18) have not been so fortunate.
In the Group Three Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes, THREEANDFOURPENCE must have leading claims if reproducing his fourth in the Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh in May.
Aidan O'Brien's colt had been given a difficult early-season campaign encompassing Meydan and Churchill Downs but has looked much happier since.
Never in a good position behind Without Parole in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot where he got short of room when trying to make ground in the home straight, Threeandfourpence easily justified odds-on favouritism at Naas subsequently and that confidence booster should have set him up nicely for this task.
On official ratings, Threading and Glorious Journey are the main threats though neither have particularly shone recently, and Ostilio and Curiosity, first and second in the Britannia Handicap at the Royal meeting, now take a step up in class.
Earlier, for the third time running, I will row in with MIRAGE DANCER in the Group Three Bombay Sapphire Glorious Stakes.
Sir Michael Stoute's son of Frankel could never quite muster enough speed, in spite of finding trouble in running, behind Monarch's Glen in the Wolferton (10f) at Royal Ascot but has run well either side of that effort, winning over this course and distance in May and going under by half a length to Best Solution in the Princess Of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket last time.
This trip of a mile and a half seems to suit Mirage Dancer best and, while he has been a bit expensive to follow, this looks a good opportunity with the consistent Red Verdon, not at all disgraced behind Crystal Ocean in the Hardwicke Stakes, possibly the main danger.
Posted at 1650 BST on 02/08/18
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