Glorious Goodwood Betting Preview Part One

The donning of a panama hat and a few splashes of July sunshine can mean only one thing in racing terms and that is the arrival of a meeting that prefixes the term 'Glorious' to Goodwood and in just under a fortnight's time the stage should be well and truly set for five days of high-class action on the Sussex Downs.

One of the main betting attractions at Goodwood comes on the Wednesday July 28 with the Sussex Stakes, a Group1 contest over a mile. If the right horses stand their ground then the respective merits of the older and younger generations will be put to the test in a battle royal between Rip Van Winkle, last season's emphatic Sussex Stakes hero and Canford Cliffs, who is without a doubt the best three-year-old miler in Europe.

This potential match-up should be one of the clashes of the season and Ballydoyle will be keen to see Rip Van Winkle return to the sort of blistering form that saw him easily defeat Paco Boy and Ghanaati twelve months ago on the Sussex Downs.

It had been thought before last year's race that Aidan O'Brien's charge might not find Goodwood's undulating track to his liking but this long-siding and classy miler was perfectly at home on the Sussex Downs and arguably produced his best-ever effort in landing the Goodwood Group1.

Given his overall form and high reputation, bookmakers might well make him favourite for the Sussex Stakes but Rip VanWinkle will need to erase the memory of a sluggish effort when down the field in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

In truth the four-year-old was probably more in need of that run than was thought to be the case at the time and I feel sure O'Brien is carefully marshalling Rip Van Winkle's resources this season while being ever mindful of the fact his star miler was over the top by the time of last season's Breeders' Cup in Santa Anita.

My idea of a bet in the Sussex Stakes has to be Canford Cliffs who has rewarded his backers with two easy wins in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the St James's Palace Stakes on his last two starts. He was far too fast last time for stable companion Dick Turpin and that fine individual went on to land the Prix Jean Prat on his latest start thus giving the Royal Ascot form a mighty boost.

In strict form terms Canford Cliffs has a bit to find with Rip Van Winkle in the Sussex Stakes but Richard Hannon's classy miler is improving fast and could well be up to delivering a top-notch performance. I suspect that Goodwood's twisting track and long straight will suit Canford Cliffs down to the ground and his stunning turn of foot could prove crucial to deciding the race.

Richard Hannon runs a vast number of two-year-olds at this meeting and the ones to look out for are the high-profile juveniles that compete in the pattern races. On the meeting's opening day, July 27, Hannon's Zebedee should be hard to beat in the Molecomb Stakes and he seems sure to be among the market leaders.

Tuesday's card will also feature the Gordon Stakes, one of two leading trials for the St Leger and a year ago this Group 3 contest for three-year-olds provided one of the best bets of the entire five days in the shape of Harbinger and a year later the same stable supplies Total Command who might well be able to pick up where Harbinger left off in last season's Gordon Stakes.

Sir Michael Stoute's progressive three-year-old found the two miles of the Queen's Vase a step too far and should be much more at home over this shorter trip. He could face a challenge from Dandino and Rebel Soldier but as long as the Stoute horses are running better than they are right now, Total Command should be worth a bet on Glorious Goodwood's opening day.