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14/115.00 Clockmaker can improve for the move into handicaps
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The NAP comes in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes
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Back Maljoom to cause a Sussex surprise
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Listen to Day Two Glorious Goodwood Tips on Racing Only Bettor...
There are lots to consider here, and many have better days ahead. I am sure a mark of 80 will not be the ceiling of Clockmaker's - 14/115.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook - ability, and he gets the vote with improvement expected now switched to handicaps.
The three-year-old has yet to go without promise in two of his three outings. His debut was eye-catching behind the ill-fated but ever-so-smart Hidden Law. He cruised through his debut at Newbury and was outpaced in the closing stages by the winner, but he was only tenderly handled with his rider looking over his shoulder at the trailing rest of the field.
I am still determining what happened at Yarmouth next time. Still, he shaped well 13 days ago at Leicester when fitted with the first-time hood, easily sluicing through the field. However, he made his move earlier than ideal in a slowly run race won by what could prove to be an exceptional horse in Ombudsman.
The runner-up, Winston's Tipple, also looks very smart, but the selection was again tenderly handled, and he was crying out for a move back up in trip having been outpaced.
Today, his improvement comes from switching to handicaps, moving up in distance, and the fast ground on offer at Goodwood. I expect Jamie Spencer to deliver him late. His Dam and Sire were both dual winners at this Sussex venue, and he has much more to come.
He appeals at 14/115.00 or more extensive. However, I must mention that he is as big as 25/126.00 in places.
Subsequent is an improver who will relish this race if it turns into a stamina test, and French Duke is the other that fears me, but surely the selection will prove better than this opening rating of 80.
13:50 Goodwood - Back Clockmaker
With Rosallion now a non-runner, many will look to flock to Henry Longfellow, who could easily step forward with Ascot, essentially his first run of the season, and he might get the solo run of the race.
Notably, connections have binned off the pacemaker they had at Ascot. Still, with talk of Henry Longfellow being able to go up in distance in the near future and knowing Notable Speech and Co are not short of speed, it's unwise to think this will be a crawl fest.
Henry Longfellow is undoubtedly the correct favourite and difficult to pick holes in. However, this is not the first test of the three-year-old generation against the older horses. That happened in the Eclipse when City Of Troy made heavy weather of defeating Al Riffa, and then in the July Cup when Inisherin was found wanting against two older former handicappers. More relevant to this race, 2,000 Guineas fifth, Alyanaabi, was put in his place in Listed company by Phantom Flight.
I am yet to be convinced that this three-year-old generation is up to the challenge of the older horses. One that is open to as much improvement as the youngsters is Maljoom--8/19.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook.
Given his hold-up running style, the potential lack of pace in this race is no positive, but he is very much overpriced on his best form. It's plausible that he needed his two runs this season following an injury that kept him at bay for so long, and he was hardly given the ride of the season at Ascot last time.
The angle to see improvement comes from a couple of avenues. The blinkers for the first time are interesting--his half-brother wore blinkers and cheekpieces--and he looks the type to appreciate the headgear (Haggas 25%), having tended to look around once under pressure.
The most critical angle is the move from off a straight track and back to a right-handed track. He would be unbeaten going around a bend and right-handed if he were not denied a clear passage in St James's Palace in '22. Drying fast ground raises the trifecta of reasons to expect an improved performance.
He looks worth taking a flyer on. Under today's scenario, he is as unexposed as the three-year-olds, and I expect today is the day or it's worth jumping off the sinking ship.
After having excuses at Ascot last time, I would fear Facteur Cheval most, but Maljoom readily went past him once in the clear, and I am expecting an even better performance today.
Any 5/16.00 or bigger is acceptable, and it wouldn't be the first time this race has seen a surprise.
15:35 Goodwood - Back Maljoom