Simon Holt previews day three of the Glorious Goodwood meeting and fancies Rhododendrom to land the feature Qatar Nassau Stakes.
Recommended bets:
2pts win Rhododendron in 3.35 Goodwood at 3/1
2pts win Precious Ramotswe in 2.25 Goodwood at 13/2
RHODODENDRON was a big disappointment in the Queen Anne Stakes over a mile at Royal Ascot but, back up to possibly her best trip in Thursday's Group One Qatar Nassau Stakes, this high-class filly is taken to return to her best form.
Aidan O'Brien's daughter of Galileo had previously been ridden prominently all the way when narrowly beating Wednesday’s Sussex Stakes winner Lightning Spear in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury (again over a mile) but perhaps her best performance was when accounting for her then in-form stable-companion Hydrangea in the Prix de l'Opera at Chantilly over a mile and a quarter last October.
When beaten by Winter much earlier last season in the 1000 Guineas, a mile also looked sharp enough for Rhododendron and, a clear non-stayer behind the top class Enable in the Oaks (1m4f) subsequently, this trip looks the ticket.
She does need to run much better than at Ascot, however, and Urban Fox and Wild Illusion will be there to capitalise if she fails to do so.
Urban Fox has been much improved by the switch to William Haggas' yard this season, and was a slightly surprising winner of the Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh earlier in the month when comfortably coming clear of this season's Oaks winner Forever Together with Athena (a winner subsequently in the US) third.
However, the runner-up was almost certainly less effective over the mile and a quarter on fast ground that day compared to Epsom and proved the point when just touched off by Sea Of Class in the Irish Oaks next time.
On her previous fourth to Aljazzi at Royal Ascot (1m), Urban Fox has a bit to find but is clearly progressing well and the step up in distance in Ireland clearly suited her well.
Wild Illusion, second to Forever Together at Epsom, then proved no match for O'Brien's Magic Wand in the Ribblesdale Stakes and now drops back to ten furlongs. She may come up just short again.
The lightly-raced Veracious made a pleasing comeback at the Royal meeting, making the running in the Coronation Stakes until quickly outpaced by Alpha Centauri but should improve and this daughter of Frankel will almost certainly be suited by this extra yardage. Perhaps she will be ridden with more restraint this time.
Earlier, PRECIOUS RAMOTSWE is fancied to turn the tables on God Given for their recent Lancashire Oaks efforts behind Horseplay, and give Frankie Dettori a winner on his first ride since being suspended, in the Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes.
Over a mile and a half that day, John Gosden's talented filly was always just struggling to muster enough pace up the home straight and had previously looked a solid stayer when winning a Group Three at York (Isabel De Urbina fourth) over two furlongs further.
A return to a mile and three-quarters looks ideal while the very useful God Given tries the distance for the first time.
On ratings, Star Rock also has claims and probably found a mile and a quarter too sharp when fourth in a listed event at Maisons-Laffitte on her belated reappearance just 11 days ago.
Preview posted at 1615 on 01/08/2018
