Glorious Goodwood SmartPlays: Friday August 2

The first of today's SmartPlays comes in the Group 3 Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes (14:30) in which Montiridge should get the Hannon and Hughes bandwagon back on track after drawing respective blanks on the Sussex Downs yesterday. He has never failed to place in eight career starts, winning half of them. In recent times he won cosily form Mango Diva in a listed race at Sandwon before narrowly losing out to Ballydoyle's Gale Force Ten in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot. However he was back on song with a facile success over Ashdan at Newmarket last time out when he was barely out of third gear when coasting to a two-length success. Although a classier field opposes here, with Richard Hughes on board this strong-travelling type should have this in the bag. 

We turn to sprint action next with Swiss Spirit the pick to realise the potential of his Temple Stakes second and leave behind the disappointment of his Kings Stand Performance in the King George Stakes (15:40).  He was unlucky at Haydock in May and finished best of all after finding a significant amount of traffic during the race. He took too keen of a hold at Ascot and it may be that he was below par that day. He has had a long layoff since then and as a result should be primed for today's contest. There are plenty of other positive in that he has a plum draw, the ground should be in his favour and is at his best over this minimum trip. It is a competitive contest and the likes of Tickled Pink and the improving Moviesta cannot be dismissed lightly, but John Gosden's sprinter can come out on top.
 
Today's final selection is Sir Michael Stoute's filly Pavlosk in the seven-furlong Oak Tree Stakes (16:50). She raced a little too close to a fast pace in what was a strong renewal of the Coronation Stakes, and shaped a lot better than her ninth-placed finish suggests.  Prior to her Royal Ascot experience there was an impressive win in her maiden at Newbury (in which subsequent dual winner Rock Choir was seventh) and a facile victory over Senafe in a listed contest at York's Dante meeting. These are the two results it is more important to focus on, and she won her maiden over this trip suggesting the drop back will not be an issue. Winning Express' classic form certainly merits respect but the all-conquering Stoute and Moore duo should be on song again here and give us a winner going into the weekend. 

Timeform UK SmartPlays
All at Goodwood

Back Montiridge @ 2.427/5 in the 14:30
Back Swiss Spirit @ 7.613/2 in the 15:40
Back Pavlosk @ 5.85/1 in the 16:50