We're in for a late start, though things come thick and fast from Haydock's 16:15. Taking debut winner Dutch Rifle is bound to be popular, though there is more give in the price of the well-bred, experienced-but-unexposed Royal Preserve. He took three goes to get off the mark last year, greenness and heavy ground to blame for his previous starts, though 2014 is where the real case for him originates. Royal Preserve was patently in need of further than seven furlongs on his return and hammered home the point when finishing second in a competitive three-year-old handicap over a mile at Kempton. Even that sharp test at the trip looked to be at the bottom end of his stamina, so this more exacting test ought to see Royal Reserve do better still. There's also the bonus of him teaming up with Oisin Murphy, whose 3-lb claim is known by all and sundry to be essentially a free allowance.
Two horses that Timeform are generally very interested in clash in Goodwood's 16:35. Desert Command would be the one for us in most races, though he's been upped in grade here and duly comes up against rivals of the calibre of Intrinsic. The first signs of Intrinsic developing into a smart sprinter came when his maiden win at Newcastle in October started working out well, though few would have expected he'd win an Ascot handicap earlier this month in quite the manner he did having gone from Sir Michael Stoute to Robert Cowell in the meantime. Intrinsic travelled really well that day and had much more in hand than a win of just over a length suggests. Indeed, it's easy to make a case for him here from a handicapping perspective despite a 9-lb rise. Intrinsic is in the Wokingham, so expect him to go well here en route.
Sticking to sprints at Goodwood, we look to their closer at 17:45 for our final bet. The five-furlong track there is one of the fastest in the country and it's just the sort of test that ought to suit Catterick winner Gulland Rock. His other win came at Musselburgh, so you should be getting a picture by now of Gulland Rock's style. He's perhaps not quite the raw speedball that would imply, however, the ability to dig in come the final furlong a characteristic of both wins so far. Those attributes combined make him a perfect fit for Goodwood, while a 5-lb rise for Catterick is hardly punitive. He's preferred over the slightly flashier Groundworker.
Timeform UK SmartPlays:
Back Royal Preserve @ 7.613/2 in the 16:15 Haydock
Back Intrinsic @ 4.47/2 in the 16:35 Goodwood
Back Gulland Rock @ 3.8514/5 in the 17:45 Goodwood
