Daryl Carter's Tips: 9/4 Sergeant to take charge on Sunday at Goodwood

• Goodwinson can strike at Goodwood

• Improving Sergeant Wilko can fend off Rumstar to land the NAP

• Qirat is worth one last chance under today's conditions

14:25 Goodwood - Back Goodwinson @ 16/54.20 1pt

3 (8)

Godwinson

• J: Hector Crouch
• T: William Haggas
• F:

Midnight Gun ran well enough for this column at the Goodwood Festival to suggest he could land a race from this mark. Still, he had no excuses, well positioned in a race with a strong finishing speed percentage other than the ground being a little on the quick side for him. He could appreciate this testing surface today. A race that always sticks in my mind for one reason or another is when his half-brother Noonday Gun hacked up at Catterick on desperate ground. Still, you're banking on the soft ground being a positive for him as his form is a little bit windy, and he was outpaced at the death here 24 days ago. He could be seen to good effect down the line over middle-distance trips.

Orban is interesting here at Goodwood, as always.

However, Godwinson - 16/54.20 on the Betfair Sportsbook - is interesting. He did best of those from off the pace at York last time in a competitive affair in which his racing position did not favour him. He moved through the contest like a well-handicapped horse and had to make his challenge wide down the centre of the track. The only other horse to get near the leaders from off the gallop but still four lengths off the selection was a subsequent Racing League winner, Parlando.

He holds a very good piece of form from Newbury two starts back on his seasonal debut, when he was very strong, finishing second in a race that has worked out well. The handicapper has given him a chance, and his best efforts in his career have come with soft in the going description.

The testing ground is unknown, but he is reunited with Tom Marquand, and everything looks in place for a big run today returned from a short break. He is well worth keeping on the side in this company at 3/14.00 or bigger.

15:00 Goodwood - Back Sergeant Wilko @ 9/43.25 2pt

6 (8)

Sergeant Wilko (Ire)

• J: Oisin Murphy
• T: Kevin Ryan
• F:

I've been waiting for Sergeant Wilko - 9/43.25 on the Betfair Sportsbook - to reappear following an excellent Newmarket victory last month. He clocked some outstanding sectional times, which devoured the Maiden scorer and subsequent winner Magic Mild (rated 93), and they matched up very well with the Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes winner Whistlejacket.

He was due to run in the Stewards Cup when offered at 14/115.00 for that race, but the ground was too quick for him, and connections have stuck to the plan of Goodwood and opted to come here. I had my hopes pinned on him running in the Stewards Cup for a fair bet, but this looks far more straightforward, and he has been granted an excellent draw against the typically favoured rail in stall eight.

Rumstar is feared most, with a good record here and an eye-catching run in the Stewards Cup, but the ground may have gone against him, and he will do well to give the improving selection 14 lbs from a low draw.

Sergeant Wilko has the rail draw to help make all under Oisin Murphy. With this race the first on the straight six furlongs, the stand-side rail will undoubtedly be a favoured position to race.

He ticks all the boxes and rates a confident selection.

15:35 Goodwood - Back Qirat @ 6/17.00 1pt

13 (4)

Qirat

• J: Hector Crouch
• T: Ralph Beckett
• F:

This is a very competitive race, but the vote goes to Qirat - 6/17.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook - who was a decisive victor here on his seasonal return and may have found the fast ground against him at Ascot next time when a good sixth in the Britannia Handicap from what looked like the wrong side of the track.

Newmarket is a little tougher to excuse, but he receives a lot of weight from the form horses in this race. His return to soft ground is an obvious positive, having been pulled from recent engagements on a quicker surface.

He is a half-brother to Bluestocking, who has never finished outside the first two on soft ground. He has a feeling of untapped stamina and potential. He is not the most straightforward horse to build a case for, but he has a good draw in stall four and was an excellent winner in May in a race that has worked out very well.

Based on that evidence, he must have handicapping scope from this rating of 92, and soft ground and seven furlongs could be the ideal conditions for him to see himself at his best. He is worth one more chance at 9/25.50 or bigger.

Roscolyn was a 4pt NAP winner in this race last year under the same conditions, and he can go well. Stall 14 is no good for forward-going Witness Stand, and he looks weighted to the hilt now but is respected for a place. Hopefully, Qirat can fend those off.

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