Glorious Goodwood 2024: Rhys Williams has seven eye-catchers from last week's action

• Rhys Williams has seven eye-catchers from Glorious Goodwood 2024 meeting

• Classic is one to follow

• Wafei is a winner in waiting

Vetiver

Vetiver ran poorly on quick ground at Lingfield and was a non runner when the ground was quick at Royal Ascot but she showed that she can run well on such ground when finishing fourth in the Oak Tree Stakes.

She was held up in a fairly steadily run race and couldn't go with the leaders when cutting a clear run at the cutaway but she rallied well under pressure, despite not appearing to handle the track too well, to finish fourth.

That she was able to run so well on ground that may not have been ideal for her suggests that there could be more to come from Vetiver when returning to softer ground later in the season.

Placings revised at Goodwood!

Raqiya your 7/1 winner who was advised by @DarylCarter7 🏆 pic.twitter.com/msFbFWndS9

-- Betfair Racing (@BetfairRacing) July 31, 2024

Miss Information

Miss Information had raced prominently when winning her last two races but from a wide draw in a big field she was unable to do so in the closing handicap on Wednesday and ran well considering she ended up being poorly positioned.

She ended up being about five wide around the bend and was shuffled back to race a little further back than midfield. She was still travelling well with two furlongs to go but got blocked in and only got a clear run inside the final furlong and ran on to take fourth.

Given the poor trip in the early stages of the race and that she couldn't get a clear run, this was a good run from Miss Information and with more favourable circumstances she can soon get back to winning ways.

Aragon Castle

Plenty went wrong for Aragon Castle in the opening race on Thursday and he did well to finish fifth in the circumstances.

He tried to anticipate the start but got it wrong and ended up being awkwardly away as a result. That left him racing towards the back of the field in a steadily run race and while he made up plenty of ground late on, he couldn't quite challenge those that had raced prominently.

This was Aragon Castle's first try over 1m2f and he appeared to handle it so that gives connections more options for the rest of the season and on the evidence of this performance there could be more improvement to come.

👏🏻 Smart performance

Approval hit a high of 32 on @BetfairExchange but proves too strong in the opener pic.twitter.com/Y0lTNYDQDj

-- Betfair Racing (@BetfairRacing) August 1, 2024

Arabian Leopard

All of the focus after the fillies' maiden on Thursday was on Dreamy but I thought Arabian Leopard made a promising start to her career back in fourth.

She was slowly away from the stalls and raced quite greenly towards the back of the field early on. She made smooth headway to be in contention around 1½ furlongs out but she couldn't quite sustain her effort late on and finished fourth.

The manner in which Arabian Leopard may progress from an unpromising position suggests that she has a good level of ability and she shouldn't be long in getting off the mark.

It took a while for the penny to drop but a very taking performance on debut from Dreamy!

A treble for Aidan O'Brien & Ryan Moore

🥇 Jan Brueghel
🥇 Opera Singer
🥇 Dreamy pic.twitter.com/XKw9QFC1Ya

-- Betfair Racing (@BetfairRacing) August 1, 2024

Classic

Classic has been inconsistent this season but he bounced back with a better performance in the Golden Mile when the race didn't pan out ideally for him.

He was a bit keen early on and was tight for room on the bend entering the home straight. He travelled strongly on the rail before being switched wide in an attempt to get a clear run but his path was blocked on several occasions and he only got out late on and finished sixth.

Given how much trouble he found, I thought Classic did well to finish as close as he did. I think he could be better suited by getting plenty of cover over a straight mile or being dropped back to seven furlongs to help him settle a bit better in the early stages and there could be a good handicap in him off his current mark.

From the widest draw, it's an eye-catching ride from @oismurphy who steers Toimy Son to victory in the @Coral Golden Mile, for trainer @DavidMenuisier 🥇 pic.twitter.com/oOUOhks5Ka

-- Goodwood Racecourse (@Goodwood_Races) August 2, 2024

Crown Board

Crown Board was stepped up markedly in class for his second start in a conditions stakes and ran respectably in the circumstances.

He sweated up badly beforehand and after breaking fairly well, he was allowed to drop back to race in fifth in a slowly run race. He was moved to the outside before the home straight and made some progress to try to get into contention but he lacked the necessary turn of foot to get involved and could only stay on to finish sixth.

Crown Board looks in need of a stronger run race or further on this evidence and this was only the second run of his career so he can progress mentally for the much tougher challenge too.

Haunted Dream takes the Regent Seven Seas Cruises Bentinck Conditions Stakes 🏆

LIVE racing action from Goodwood, Galway, Newmarket & Musselburgh ⬇️https://t.co/yJN9bBS0wx#ITVRacing | @Goodwood_Races | @ITVX pic.twitter.com/Dq8bZVj3XF

-- ITV Sport (@ITVSport) August 2, 2024

Wafei

Wafei was another horse to not be suited by a slowly run race in the final contest on Friday.

The field crawled along early on and Wafei gradually dropped back through the field to race towards the back on the inside. He couldn't get a clear run as the pace started to lift and didn't appear to be handling the track too well. That left him with plenty of work to do once switched to the outside with a furlong to go and he ran on strongly but couldn't quite catch Assailant.

A stronger run race and more conventional track could see Wafei in a much better light and there could be plenty more to come from him off a mark of 86.

Assailant takes the Coral Play Racing-Super-Series For Free Handicap 🏆

LIVE racing action from Goodwood, Galway, Newmarket & Musselburgh ⬇️ https://t.co/yJN9bBS0wx#ITVRacing | @Goodwood_Races | @ITVX pic.twitter.com/8UiRLX5Zkt

-- ITV Sport (@ITVSport) August 2, 2024

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