Glorious Goodwood Saturday Tips: Go with the raw ability of Ninjago

Brian Gubby may not have scaled the heights of many trainers, but Goodwood holds a special place in his heart and I think he may have more reason to be cheerful at the track on Saturday.

Gubby raced around the famous Goodwood motor circuit in his past life - he was a Formula One driver in the 1960s - and while his horses down the years have been more lethargic loiterers than the lively Lotus he used to drive, the Sussex track has given him some of his best days as a handler. I will eschew the puns about horsepower.

Easy Dollar and Omaha City both won here, but his most recent, and more high profile Glorious Goodwood winner, was Son Of The Cat in the 2011 Stewards' Cup.

17:35  - Pal Of The Cat 

You are usually cruising for a bruising if backing or tipping horses that are 5lb out of the handicap - especially one that is a maiden after 10 starts - but I cannot resist an interest on his likely rank outsider Pal Of The Cat in the 17:35. I will be looking for odds of 26.025/1 or better, though.

He has actually run with great credit in his three outings this year, and again showed plenty of dash at Newbury last time.

He was unable to dominate there, but if he bounces out quickly from his draw in two, then I think he could get them all at it. The hood is dispensed with and, perhaps tellingly, on come the tongue tie and cheekpieces instead, for the first time.

There are negatives, obviously, but given his trainer's association to the track I think it is a fair bet that he would have been primed for this.

14:05 - Tax Free and Enrol

I will take two against the field in the opener at 14:05, Tax Free and Enrol.

Enrol will be the shorter of the pair at around the 8.07/1 mark, and rightly so. I think connections feel that she hasn't shown her true worth in her last two starts, even if she was only beaten a nose at Newmarket two starts ago.

The hallmark of her reappearance Doncaster win was how well she travelled - albeit in a lesser grade - but she was being niggled throughout at Newmarket, and only got into her stride late on.

It transpired that she returned lame there, and she may still have been below-par physically over 7f at Ascot last time. 
She clearly shows a lot at home - she was smashed into 6-4 on her reappearance in a 16-runner handicap at Doncaster - and she can gain compensation for missing the cut in the Stewards' Cup.

Tax Free is a simple selection in that he continues to run some excellent races, and at 17.016/1 or bigger he is worth an interest, too.

He has never run a bad race at Goodwood - among his efforts here, he finished second to Hoof It in the 2011 Stewards' Cup - and is still churning out the performances as an 11yo.

Oisin Murphy, a very talented 7lb claimer, takes the ride for the first time and Tax Free looks set to run his race. And it may be good enough.

I think Van Percy is the horse to beat in the 1m4f handicap and Just The Judge the likeliest winner in a very competitive Nassau Stakes (15:15).

And I was very tempted by Bureau in the nursery (17:00). If speed figures are your game, then you will look no further than her on the evidence of the clock on her Yarmouth win last time. But I reluctantly pass her over on account of him being drawn 14 of 14. Very reluctantly.

But when you are enduring a poor run - although we are still over 40pts up at SP in the column's P & L - you have be selective and pick your battles wisely.

15:50 - Ninjago

I had a short list of four for the Stewards' Cup at 15:50, but Prodigality, Burwaaz and Harrison George were finally cast aside in favour of just Ninjago. Back him at 19.018/1 or bigger.

We sided with him when he was fourth at Newmarket last time, but in truth he disappointed me there, as I thought he would travel a lot better than he did for Richard Hughes.

He came home well enough in the end though, so I will give him one more chance, as I think a helter-skelter 6f is what this horse needs and I am convinced that a mark of 103 underestimates his raw ability.

Expect the trademark Goodwood ride from Hughes; travel, stalk, make his move 1f out, and come fast and late. And hopefully nick it close home.

Recommended Bets
Back Enrol at 8.07/1 or bigger in the 14:05
Back Tax Free at 17.016/1 or bigger in the 14:05
Back Ninjago at 19.018/1 or bigger in the 15:50
Back Pal Of The Cat at 26.025/1 or bigger in the 17:35