Enlace could be the best bet on a trappy looking final day
LOOKING at the rest of Saturday’s card and you need to dig out the hatpin to find the winner of the Stewards’ Cup (3.45pm).
Trainer Roger Charlton knows how to land this valuable six furlong handicap, having won it in the past with Patavellian and Genki, and his HUNTSMANS CLOSE may well still be ahead of the handicapper. The fast-improving five-year-old was pretty impressive at Windsor on his latest start and looks worth supporting at 8/1.
You can make cases for virtually all of the other 27 runners and I’ll be having a saver each-way on DISCUSSIONTOFOLLOW at around the 16/1 mark. He was sixth in this race last year when slightly hampered late on. The way he shapes up, six furlongs may suit him better than five these days.
Richard Hughes retires from race-riding tomorrow bringing the curtain down on a glittering career as a jockey. His last ride for his brother-in-law Richard Hannon will be on the Sir Alex Ferguson-owned HAIRDRYER in the maiden at 4.20pm.
The son of Motivator was a little disappointing when fourth of seven at Salisbury on his debut. Yet he can now step up from that run and give Hughes his fairy-tale final day winner.
Hairdryer was sent off odds-on, so is obviously well-regarded at home and remember that the Hannon team saddled the first two home in the maiden here on the opening day of the meeting.
Finally, Mark Johnston’s ENLACE really caught my eye last weekend when well-beaten on soft ground in a valuable handicap at Ascot. She was isolated on the unfavourable stands side and showed up for a long way until the jockey, who wasn’t too hard on her, realised the chance had gone.
Enlace has won at Goodwood before and has every chance of dominating the small field in the Qatar Stakes (4.55pm) with a typical Johnston/Fanning-style positive ride from the front.
▀ Pointers…
HUNTSMANS CLOSE 3.45pm Goodwood (Sat)
DISCUSSIONTOFOLLOW e/w 3.45pm Goodwood (Sat)
HAIRDRYER 4.20pm Goodwood (Sat)
ENLACE 4.55pm Goodwood (Sat)