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Goodwood Day Three Bets: Graham Cunningham on every race

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The Racing UK analyst wonders if Yeats can achieve another big success.

2.15

Most of these fillies look closely matched, but some come with queries. Last year's winner Hi Calypso failed to fire on her reappearance and has a hefty Group 2 penalty, while Folk Opera is willing and consistent but could have suspect stamina. Samira Gold goes well here and should be much sharper for her lacklustre Haydock run, while Queen Of Naples recorded a career best there but doesn't look quite good enough for this.

Gravitation has thrived since having her stamina tested and looks bound to run another solid race, while Gull Wing is another for the positive list. Granted, her best form has come with plenty of give underfoot, but rain is forecast and the way she travelled against good colts at York suggests she is better than ever at present.

2.50

A searing pace seems assured here, and the big question is whether trailblazers like Masta Plasta, Morinqua and Fat Boy can hold on when the likes of Dandy Man, Moorhouse Lad and company come to call?

Masta Plasta is on a roll after an impressive Curragh success from a mark of 104 and, although he hasn't run here before, this fast track looks made for him. Expect to see him bang in the centre - and he could be a decent back to lay vehicle - but Dandy Man and Moorhouse Lad head the short list for differing reasons.

Granted, Dandy Man has been frustrating with several near misses in big races, but his fourth in a hot King's Stands Stakes is the best form on offer and Frankie will be hoping to pounce late in the centre if the leaders begin to flag.

Moorhouse Lad's case rests on his highly impressive defeat of Enticing under Ryan Moore in this race twelve months ago. He's run only twice since without coming close to that form, but the return to Goodwood with Moore back aboard might just light his fire again.

3.30

Is there really any mileage in opposing the remarkable Yeats as he bids for yet another big success? His third Gold Cup at Ascot suggests he is at least as good as ever aged seven and those who argue this track is much different would do well to remember that he sluiced clear on his sole previous visit to this venue in 2006.

However, his Group 1 penalty could make things interesting and if Yeats is to be made to work then stablemate Honolulu and Mad Rush look the two likeliest lads.

Honolulu isn't straightforward, but he produced a career best to thwart the gallant veteran Distinction in the Queen Alexandra at Royal Ascot. This track poses different questions, but the ability is plainly there.

Luca Cumani plainly has his team primed for Goodwood and Mad Rush has more than earned the hike to Group 2 company. He remains unproven beyond a mile and a half, but he galloped on powerfully to make mincemeat of his Old Newton Cup rivals at Haydock and any further improvement will give him solid place claims.

4.05

Another desperately complex handicap, but Mark Johnston takes the blunderbuss to it with five runners and Hawaass is the one who catches the eye as a potential major improver. Granted, the form of his Newmarket win is nothing special, but he powered clear in the style of a highly progressive horse. His racing style and high draw ought to keep him well clear of any trouble and, for what it's worth, I rate him as one of the most interesting handicappers on view this week.

Some old friends reunite after contesting the big Newmarket handicap won by Jedediah and it's plain that Steele Tango, Indian Days and Dona Alba are closely linked having finished second, third and fifth there. Steele Tango is from an unfashionable yard but should go well at a fair price again, while Upton Grey and Military Power are also on the up and will need to keep progressing having been hiked in the weights.

4.40

Horses drawn middle to high have dominated in this race over the years and, with that in mind, the otherwise likeable Relative Order might end up with plenty to do from the wide outside in stall one.

By contrast, Adversity, House and Tawaash seem well berthed among the high numbers and all three have plenty to recommend them. Adversity cruised clear at Chester to banish memories of a couple of unlucky defeats and looks a typical Stoute improver. Heavy rain would be a concern for Tawaash, who ran a cracker in a hot race over six at Newmarket, while House looked a different horse on his debut for Luca Cumani at Leicester. Granted, it wasn't that strong a race, but he bolted up and looks open to more improvement for his new stable.

5.15

Hard to be more than tentative here given the presence of so many unknown quantities, but trend junkies will be well aware that Henry Cecil and Barry Hills have won this twice apiece in the last decade.

Cecil saddles a very interesting newcomer in Midday, who has the pedigree of a good horse and fancy entries to match, while the fact the Hills-trained High Heeled came home strongly following a slow start at Newmarket is slightly offset by the concern that her sire High Chapparal has an unimpressive strike rate with juveniles.

Of the rest, both Sanvean and Brief Candle plainly deserve a positive mention. Sanvean's debut fourth at York over six furlongs has worked out a treat and she takes a sharp class drop after failing to land a blow when dropped out against colts in a steadily-run Group 3 at Newmarket.

Brief Candle was a 33-1 shot for her Kempton debut and ended up with a lot to do from stall one, but she caught the eye putting in some strong late work and the form of that maiden is working out nicely.

5.50
A couple more strong trends here. First, winners have emerged largely from the middle and high stalls. And second, Dandy Nicholls has dominated by landing six of the last ten renewals, four of which came from the remarkable Zuhair.

Dandy comes two handed this time with Mandurah and Guest Connections, but both are drawn low and Guest Connections looks a place lay given that his two recent wins came in ropey claimers at Hamilton.

By contrast, Merlin's Dancer and Total Impact have both been acquitting themselves with real credit in hot handicaps of late. Merlins' Dancer ran a screamer in the Dash at Epsom on Derby day and is drawn to attack on the far side in stall 20. Total Impact may have to come up the centre from stall 9, but he's on top of his game and the fact that Richard Fahey's hot 7lb claimer Frederik Tylicki is aboard for the first time looks an added boost to his chance.