Glorious Goodwood / Graham Cunningham / 29 July 2011 /

Whoever draws up the Goodwood programmes nowadays must have an unusual sense of humour. Not content with the fiendish puzzle that is the Stewards' Cup, we also have a consolation race to deal with on this Saturday's card, but Graham Cunningham thinks he has found one to end a tough week on a high.

After a week in which winners have been extremely hard to find, it goes against the grain to nominate the best bet of the day in a massive field of sprint handicappers.

Add in the fact that the horse in question is ridden by a relatively inexperienced 7lb claimer and you might begin to think the heat is getting to me, but Thunderball has created a striking impression in bolting up on his last two starts under Leonna Mayor at Kempton and Pontefract.

That Pontefract run was Thunderball's first ever start at a trip as short as six furlongs.

He clearly relished the step down in distance, loping along on the bridle before quickening clear with the minimum of fuss inside the final furlong, and with just a 3lb penalty for that success he has the look of a very strong win and place contender indeed.

The Steward's Cup itself doesn't fire the imagination anything like so much as the consolation race this year and Mac's Power and Pastoral Pursuits are no more than token suggestions in a brutally competitive contest.

Midday clearly didn't take her A game to the Curragh last time but it could be a different story as she bids to land a historic third consecutive Nassau Stakes at 15.10, while Harlestone Times failed to fire in the Northumberland Plate but comes firmly into the reckoning for the 14.35 judged on his decisive success here the time before in a race that has worked out very strongly indeed.

Saturday recommendations

14.05 Back Thunderball win and place
14:35 Back Harlestone Times

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