Dark horses on Day 1 at Glorious Goodwood....

Tuesday, 26th July 2022

Dark horses on Day 1 at Glorious Goodwood….

It’s Day 1 of the Glorious Goodwood meeting – and we have two decent handicaps to set the ball rolling on the week….

At 1.50 a maximum field of 18 goes to post for the Chesterfield Cup over the 10f trip. And at 4.10 a field of 15 will fight it out over up the 5f straight in the Nicholson Gin Handicap….

Without further ado….

• In the Chesterfield Cup – 1.50....

I thought long and hard about having another crack at William Knight’s Moktasaab for this race….

I backed him in the Duke of Edinburgh at Royal Ascot – but he disappointed on the day….

Perhaps it was the step up to the mile. Perhaps Ascot came too soon after Epsom….

Who knows? But dropping back to the 10f trip and with a Goodwood victory to his name, he’s an interesting runner….

But – at the general 16s – I’m going to back Richard Hannon’s ETONIAN and take it on trust that his Ascot performance last time signals a real return to form rather than some false dawn….

Last season Etonian was supposed to be the Hannon yard’s Guineas horse. It didn’t work out that way and things haven’t been straightforward since he returned to action in April after almost a year off….

He got well-beaten at a mile on his first three goes this term – tried twice in valuable big-field affairs….

Last time at Ascot – stepping down in class and up in trip – he ran a decent race from the front and stuck on well at the end too….

If it was the 10f trip that he needed, then the performance augurs well. Having been rated as high as 109 on his only run last term, he’s now rated 97 – and very much in business in handicaps….

When you get a horse running back into form – and situated on a decent mark – it can pay to follow that horse. But you ever quite know for sure when the one-armed-bandit will pay out….

Is today the day for Etonian? Who can tell you? Not me. Not for sure. But I can tell you that Goodwood ain’t no bad venue to keep the Hannon handicappers onside….

Nobody produces more winning horses in the good handicaps at the track than Mark Johnston. He’s head and shoulders above the rest in terms of volume….

But if you were looking for the next best man, Richard Hannon wouldn’t be far away. Etonian’s price is worth swinging at this morning….

Each-way backers take note: William Hill & Sky Bet are 1/5 the first 7. It’s 1/5 the first 6 generally….

• In the Nicholson Gin Handicap – 4.10....

Since July last year Andrew Balding’s STONE OF DESTINY has dropped down the official handicap to the tune of 22lbs – he was rated 106 and is now rated just 84….

And it isn’t hard to figure out why he’s plummeted like a stone –  as he’s nothing to show from a dozen goes but a series of good thrashings….

He performed okay again in the June renewal of the Dash at Epsom. But beyond that he’s looked like a horse on the slide….

But it hasn’t stopped Andrew Balding from running him. This will be his sixth go of the campaign. And – sooner or later – he’s going to pop up somewhere on mark in the low 80s or lower….

And today is the first time – ever – that Balding’s felt moved to put a claimer on the 7yo. It’s as if he’s giving the horse every chance he can this afternoon….

He’s also fitted first-time cheekpieces – which might help. Of course, this headgear could also be a signal of rank desperation at the yard….

But a downhill strip + a career-low mark + a top claimer booked + plus first-time headgear might just add up to Stone Of Destiny’s best chance for a while….

At 9s and 8s the bookies are not blind to his chances. He’s the one outside of the fancied horses with the ability, speed, and set-up to deliver IF he fires….

Each-way backers take note: William Hill & Sky Bet are 1/5 the first 5. It’s 1/5 the first 4 generally….

• The final word….

That’s all for today. Back next time….

Meanwhile – enjoy the racing. It’s not life and death – it’s a game we play for fun. It’s good sometimes to remind ourselves of that fact….

Stay tuned.

Against the Crowd