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Glorious Goodwood Day Two Bets: Graham Cunningham on every race

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The script suggests it will be a toast of "Hooray Henry" when Henrythenavigator bids to continue his rampage through Europe's top mile races on day two of Glorious Goodwood. But will it be that simple? Racing UK analyst Graham Cunningham casts his eye over the Sussex Stakes and the rest of a top notch card.

2.15 - Invesco Perpetual Goodwood Stakes, 2m5f

Goodness knows how many turns and cambers have to be negotiated in this day two marathon, but it all adds up to a desperately difficult punting puzzle. Keep stakes to a minimum is the best advice, but Som Tala and Downing Street form a tentative short list for differing reasons.

Som Tala is a regular in top staying handicaps and those who backed him for this race last year are still smarting at the defensive ride he was given by Aussie Hugh Bowman. His consistency since means the handicapper hasn't relaxed his grip, but Som Tala isn't badly treated and should run his usual honest race.

The fact that Downing Steet hails from an unfashionable yard should ensure he trades at a price, but that won't stop him running well if in the mood. Granted, he probably has a quirk or two, but he's not fully exposed on the Flat and caught the eye meeting all the trouble that was going at Nottingham recently.


2.50 - Veuve Cliquot Vintage Stakes, 7f

A complex puzzle, with several tackling seven furlongs for the first time, and the key probably lies in assessing which one will progress most for the longer trip.

Sayif's narrow July Stakes defeat is arguably the best form on offer, but he hung late there and Orizaba and Westphalia might just have the edge on him.

Aidan O'Brien has suffered several near misses in this - including with Duke Of Marmalade - but Westphalia is already useful and should improve again at seven. Orizaba disappointed favourite backers at Royal Ascot - and has three lengths to make up with Coventry Stakes third Lord Shanakill - but he blew the start from stall one there and is well worth another chance to confirm the promise of his runaway Newbury debut success.

Of the rest, Firth Of Fifth improved to land Newmarket's Superlative Stakes over this trip. Another soft lead is unlikely from trap one, though, while Ryehill Dreamer looked a galloper rather than a quickener when landing a Leopardstown Listed prize.


3.30 - BGC Sussex Stakes, 1m

O'Brien says Henrythenavigator is "going through lead horses like they are going out of fashion" on the Ballydoyle gallops. If the dual Guineas hero transfers that to Goodwood the rest could be playing for places as he bids for his fourth Group 1 on the spin, but he only had three parts of a length in hand of Raven's Pass at Royal Ascot and John Gosden's looks much the most likely to pose him problems again.

The question is, can Raven's Pass finally beat Henry? No doubt he will be played late again - and such tactics are tough to carry off here - but price is the key and John Gosden's colt travels so well that it would come as no surprise to see him give Henry a real fright.

Winker Watson has over five lengths to find with Raven's Pass on Chantilly form. It looks a tall order for all that was his first run in ages, while Dream Eater just doesn't look good enough at this level. Which leaves us with Major Cadeaux and Tariq.

Major Cadeaux bagged a Group 3 and a Group 2 this spring but needs a career best to complete the set. However, Lockinge third Tariq appeals as a live longshot. Granted, he's winless since for 12 months, but he quickened very smartly to land the Betfair Cup here last year and is vastly better than he showed when going all round the Ascot houses in the Queen Anne last time.


4.05 - Sir Peter O'Sullevan Voice of Racing Stakes, 1m4f

Mark Johnston takes the scattergun appraoch to this hot handicap, and Detonator looks the pick of his quartet after travelling like a well handicapped horse for 95 per cent of the way over a mile and three quarters at Sandown this week.

He still looks on a fair mark for this return to an ideal distance, while Colony and Savarain are also of strong interest given that they dominated a big handicap at Royal Ascot and hail from yards which have made a fine start to the week.

Colony has the added bonus of the relentless Ryan Moore, but Savarain ran a cracker from a wide draw at the royal meeting and he and Detonator look the two against the field in what is bound to be a wide open market.


4.40 - Weatherbys bank EBF Fillies' Stakes, 1m1f

Several difficult angles here. Perfect Star signed off with two emphatic wins last year and the form has worked out well, but her ten-month absence and Clive Cox's subdued form are concerns. Asfurah's Dream is fighting fit after a course win, but that wasn't a strong race and Ghaidaa and Algarade make most appeal.

Ghaidaa is related to the Oaks winner Eswarah and looked a bright prospect when bolting up at Newbury before being heavily backed for a Listed race at Newcastle. Softish ground seemed to blunt her speed but she's worth another chance, while Algarade is much better judged on an emphatic Chester win than a slightly subdued effort in Germany last time.


5.15 - Winston's Wish Maiden Fillies' Stakes, 6f

Following the money has paid off big time in this maiden down the years, with nothing bigger than 4-1 passing the post first in the last decade.

That said, it looks a tough puzzle to solve, not least because of the presence of several intriguing newcomers. Tiger Eye plainly falls into that category and it's well worth noting that her handler Michael Jarvis landed this with Suez a few years ago. Victoria Sponge's promising Windsor debut for the prolific Richard Hannon marks her down as a strong contender, while the presence of Moore aboard stablemate
Dane's World suggests she has been showing plenty in her homework.


5.50 - Kennels EBF Classified Stakes, 7f

Nine face the starter, but We'll Come, Flawed Genius, Berbice and Firestreak look the four to focus on. We'll Come has bags of ability, but he's also shown a few quirks of late and it remains to be seen if he will dig deep if forced to scrap.

Flawed Genius hung in a visor for the first time at Newmarket and has headgear and a tongue tie this time. He's more than good enough to go close at this slightly shorter trip even allowing that he might also have a slight kink, but all in all Firestreak looks the value call.

He's straightforward with solid handicap form under his belt and the form of his latest Sandown second behind Main Aim was franked when third home Brassini went in at the Esher venue last week.