Goodwood Saturday Preview - 28/08/21

The Group Three Prestige Stakes over seven furlongs sees some classy juveniles head to post and we are siding with Clitheroe.

A horse we have been tracking for sometime is the David Simcock trained two year old who made a superb debut in a Fillies' Novice and is now upped to a Group Three in just her second outing.

The A$590,000 purchase made a bright debut behind the smart Dubai Jewel, finishing her race off well to grab a narrow second.

She will be sure to come on for that and the step up in trip should suit, with her doing her best work near the finish.

Exciting prospect for the yard.

Next up is the Class 2 Handicap over seven furlongs and at an each way price Al Rufaa for John & Thady Gosden could be the value player.

The four year son of Kingman was seen five times last term having been ran twice as a juvenile, getting off the mark at York in his final event as a two year old.

Having needed his comeback run last season, he then went on to land a hat-trick of wins in decent handicap events, seeing his mark rise to 105.

In September his winning run came to an end not appreciating the soft ground and he was then pitched into the Cambridgeshire Handicap at Newmarket where again he had excuses.

Down 3lb for his seasonal debut he looks weighted to go close if fully tuned up for the event and 8/1 it is worth taking the chance.

The final Group Three of the afternoon at Goodwood is the March Stakes over 1m6f and we can't see past the favourite Nagano, who has some good course form.

The three year old for Roger Varian has been seen five times during his career, starting out in April of this year when a good third behind two nice types over a mile.

He then went to Nottingham over 10f and got off the mark and backed that up when reversing the form with Peter The Great at Newcastle.

Seeking a hat-trick he was sent to Royal Ascot for the King George V Handicap and could only finish a tame sixth, having not had not much luck in running.

Looking to put things write he went to Glorious Goodwood over 12f, and under a great ride by David Egan he went from last to front to land the event in a competitive field.

Stepped up another two furlongs and back at a track he handles well makes him the one to beat.

The feature race of the afternoon is the Group Two Celebration Mile and we are siding with the Charles Hills trained Mutasaabeq, who looks the value in the field.

The son of Invincible Spirit was seen once as a juvenile making an impressive debut in October on heavy ground at Newmarket landing a 7f Novice Stakes, seeing off the talented Sevenal and The Attorney.

This season the three year old has been seen three times, making an emphatic seasonal debut when hammering the expensive Noble Dynasty by six lengths.

However, on his two runs after that he has been below par, finishing a mid-field seventh of 14 in the 2000 Guineas when backed to go close and last time out ran no sort of race in the Group Three Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Given almost a month off he returned in July and got back to winning ways in a small runner Conditions Stakes at Haydock, which would have done his confidence the world of good.

He has been given some more time off and looks set to be in top shape for this event and if being able to kick on from his win last time out, he could be a Group One horse in the making.

Just needs to stay consistent.

The penultimate race of the afternoon in Sussex is the Class 4 Handicap over 1m1f and General Lee for Paul & Oliver Cole looks an interesting contender.

The three year old son of Lope De Vega looked to be a sort that was hard to win with until two starts ago when landing a Maiden Stakes over 10f at Windsor.

He managed to see off a nice type in Future for Qatar Racing that day that since gone onto frank the form.

Looking to back that up, General Lee headed back over the same course and distance off the same mark in a better race and finished a fair third.

The heavy ground probably went against him that day and now getting back on a sounder surface off 1lb lower he is a live player.

The final event of the afternoon is the Class 4 Handicap over 1m6f and with a big field heading to post we have two each way punts.

The first is the Gary Moore trained Imphal who is a very interesting runner having been seen over the jumps at the start of the year and starting to knock on the door.

He was last seen at Chepstow over 2m 3 1/2f when finishing a narrow second to a persistent stayer for Henry Oliver.

Before his runs over hurdles the son of Nathaniel was decent on the flat, finishing a neck second at Lingfield in January on the all weather.

He runs in this event off a mark of 80 which sees him 19lb lower than his hurdles mark and if being fully fit could be a player.

Another runner that is even better handicapped in the event is the Hughie Morrison trained Ravens Ark who has been largely consistent on the flat this term.

Having needed his first run back, he then went to Brighton and was a taking winner of a 1m4f event.

Off the back of that he placed three times in a row at Goodwood, Carlisle and Sandown, with his latest performance coming behind a next time out winner over his first try at 1m6f.

He then headed back to Brighton over 12f and won again being a bit of a course specialist, and last time out he had excuses off a mark of 79, with cut in the ground going against him.

He runs off the same mark and with Oisin Murphy in the saddle he is not discounted at all.