Tinandali looks ready to strike for O’Meara in competitive handicap
GOODWOOD is one of the most picturesque racecourses in the world, but it can also be a painful place for jockeys, trainers, owners and punters alike.
Hard luck stories abound during this meeting as large fields make their way around the twists, turns and undulations of the Sussex Downs.
Jockeys have to decide if they’re going to take the risky route up the far rail or come wider down the middle to try to get a clear run.
A field of 18 is set to go to post for the Unibet You’re On Handicap (1.45pm), a typically fiendishly difficult Goodwood handicap.
David O’Meara and Danny Tudhope combined to land this prize 12 months ago with 25/1 outsider Fayez and I’m hoping they can repeat the feat with TINANDALI at around the 7/1 mark.
Formerly trained by Dermot Weld in Ireland, he moved to O’Meara in January and has run three solid races for his new handler.
A close second at Ayr was followed by a third at Epsom on Derby Day and then fifth in the John Smith’s Cup at York where he suffered an interrupted passage.
He will need plenty of luck in this but he has been running in some top handicaps and still looks to be on a competitive mark.
Cape Cavalli, for the in-form Simon and Ed Crisford team, is likely to go off favourite but he is stepping up in class here and looks too short at 4/1.
Admittedly, he won a handicap over course and distance last September, so we know the track doesn’t hold any fears, but he was beaten by SUCELLUS at Sandown after that when receiving 6lbs.
Sucellus, then trained by John Gosden, is now in the hands of Roger Fell and he ran an eye-catching race at York last time when he got constantly blocked in his run.
Yet to reach the heights of last season, he is back down to his last winning mark and sneaks in here off bottom weight.
At 16/1, he simply looks too big and he will be worth playing on www.tote.co.uk as well where his price could even be a couple of points bigger.
RECON MISSION can go close for Tony Carroll and Tom Marquand in the Qatar Handicap (3.45pm) over five furlongs.
He won a decent six furlong handicap at York last summer and then ran well at Newbury on his latest start when he looked as though he’d appreciate the drop back to the minimum trip.
The recent rain is a plus and he looks a decent bet at 6/1.
POINTERS
Tiandali e/w 8/1 1.45pm Goodwood
Sucellus e/w 16/1 1.45pm Goodwood
Recon Mission 6/1 3.45pm Goodwood