Daylight, who ran in the six-furlong maiden on the opening day of Glorious Goodwood, goes straight into our Notebook as a type who is likely to win a similar event. Sent off at a Betfair SP of 38.037/1, Andrew Balding's debutant belied his starting price to run a highly-promising race, trading at a low of 3.8514/5 as he threw down a serious challenge a furlong and a half from home. Daylight eventually finished fifth, but he was clearly much better than the bare result, travelling smoothly to make headway on the bridle, despite being widest of all. His inexperience was evident when put under pressure and his effort flattened out close home, but he should benefit enormously from this initial racecourse experience and he will prove tough to beat in an ordinary maiden, especially as last week's race is likely to prove a strong contest.
Roger Varian's filly Oojooba produced a real eye-catching effort on the second day of the meeting, finishing third in a strong fillies' handicap which is likely to produce plenty of winners. She actually emerges from the race with as much credit as any horse, as she chased a pace which ultimately proved to be too strong and compromised the chances of those who raced close to it. Oojooba looked extremely likely to win when hitting the front, trading at 1.101/10 in running as she put more than length between herself and the chasing pack a furlong from home, but the exertions of chasing the strong pace told close home as she was swamped by a couple of fast-finishing fillies. There will be plenty of options open to her now, as she should prove to be effective over a mile based on how she travelled through this nine-furlong contest; also, there will also be plenty of handicaps less competitive than this one for her to compete in.
It wouldn't be Glorious Goodwood were there not numerous hard-luck stories of strong-travelling horses with nowhere to go, and we have a plethora of these eye-catchers to choose from. Golden Causeway eventually came home in twelfth position in the fillies' maiden on the Thursday of the meeting, but she shaped considerably better than that finishing position would suggest. She was patiently ridden on her racecourse debut, dropped in early on to grab a spot on the rails having been drawn in stall 10. However, when Golden Causeway came to make her challenge she was hampered on more than one occasion and her momentum was firmly halted half a furlong from home, effectively putting an end to her race just as it appeared she was going to make the frame. Michael Hills was by no means hard on his filly once her chance had gone and Golden Causeway looks sure to make up for this unlucky run, with a maiden win looking well within her capabilities.
Marshgate Lane is the final horse to make the Notebook, having run a cracking race under top weight in a competitive handicap for three-year-olds, finishing third behind the progressive Silver Lime. Mahmood Al Zarooni's charge was making only his third career start but he acquitted himself with real credit, pulling clear of the pack along with two improving horses who appeared to be more streetwise. He took longer than the winner to find top gear, but by the finish he was really motoring down the outside and confirmed himself as a highly promising colt. A higher grade could be on the not-so-distant horizon, but, for now, a strongly-run mile and a half handicap could be Marshgate Lane's for the taking based on the promise shown at Goodwood.
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