Racing
Glorious Goodwood 2020: Five beaten runners to keep in mind
The dust has now settled on what was another cracking five days’ top-class horse racing action at Glorious Goodwood 2020.
There was a lot to take out of the festival, not least the announcement that superstar stayer Stradivarius is now being prepared for a tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe following his history-making fourth win in the Goodwood Cup. An announcement that gives Frankie Dettori a dilemma.
The festival featured top performances from some of the biggest names in racing, including Stradivarius’ bloodless Goodwood Cup win which was arguably bettered at the top of the performance tree by Battaash’s blistering Qatar Stakes victory. It was a victory that saw Charlie Hills’ star smash his own course record.
Mohaather’s win in the Sussex Stakes was another top performance but, as per the norm, there were several hard-luck stories to be told by those vanquished connections across the five days of the summer spectacle. So here are five beaten runners from Glorious Goodwood 2020 who might be worth keeping onside in future outings and who should be winning before too long.
Glorious Goodwood 2020: Five beaten runners to keep in mind
Devious Company
Tom Dascombe’s Fast Company colt had looked a very smart individual in rattling off successive wins at Haydock. This was prior to finishing second in the Group Two Superlative Stakes en route to Glorious Goodwood 2020, where he bumped into Battleground from the Aidan O’Brien camp.
Kept wide and out of trouble by big-race jockey Richard Kingscote, Devious Company took the running between three and two furlongs out but was swiftly challenged by the eventual winner. He gave no quarter though on the run to the line but was unable to hold off the Ballydoyle runner who prevailed a shade readily by two lengths.
Despite the defeat he gave a very good account of himself and he could improve further, especially when stepped up in distance. One to keep on the right side of, he looks well up to winning again before long judged on that performance.
Tinandali
Also competing on the opening day of the Glorious Goodwood Festival, Tinandali again served notice that he has a big handicap in him with another eye-catching performance.
David O’Meara’s charge had won in Ireland previously for Dermot Weld and the Oasis Dream gelding has been arguably unlucky thus far not to have got his head in front for his new handler.
Tinandali could only finish fifth in his latest Goodwood outing but he wasn’t ideally placed in the contest and probably found himself further back than ideal when the pace in the race lifted. Given his track position, jockey Danny Tudhope had to sit and suffer until a gap opened for him to make his move on the outside, where he ran on strongly but was never in a position to challenge the easy winner.
Given the circumstances it was a very creditable performance from the Oasis Dream gelding who could have a big handicap victory within his scope. He could do some damage from his rating of 102, if granted a bit more luck while still relatively unexposed.
Sound of Cannons
Plenty appeared to go wrong for Brian Meehan’s charge on day two of Glorious Goodwood 2020, where the Nathaniel colt was bidding to get back on track after a number of disappointing previous starts in Group company.
Back in a handicap for his Goodwood outing he missed the break and had to race in arrears where he took a keen hold of the bit under Jim Crowley. Under pressure turning in, he looked to have a lot to do to have any say in the outcome but he finished the race really strongly, despite meeting with late trouble in running which saw his rider repeatedly having to switch his charge left in a bid for racing room.
There is a suspicion he could still have scope from his current rating and that Goodwood performance hinted that there might be a victory in the not too distant future.
Kameko
The Sussex Stakes threatened to be the race of the festival with unbeaten Siskin, 2000 Guineas winner Kameko, Royal Ascot winner Circus Maximus and Summer Mile champion Mohaather all lining up.
It was Andrew Balding’s Kameko though who, despite meeting with defeat, arguably comes out of the race with most credit. There was an air of unfinished business surrounding the Kitten’s Joy colt who endured a horrendous passage up the straight.
Travelling powerfully under Oisin Murphy, the 2000 Guineas hero found himself boxed in on the far rail behind Circus Maximus and Vatican City who dropped away but did enough damage to the chances of Kameko by holding him in.
As that one wilted out of contention, Aidan O’Brien’s other runner, Wichita, took over to keep the Classic winner pinned with no clear daylight in which to make a challenge. Meanwhile race-winner Mohaather had been steered wide and came through for a smooth win.
It was all too late for Kameko once he finally got clear, although he was again squeezed for room late on and dropped to fourth where he crossed the line around three lengths adrift of the winner. It is very debatable whether he would have won with a clear run but he was travelling with purpose despite his traffic issues and there’s a strong suspicion he has more in the locker to give.
While taking nothing away from the winner who turned in a very good performance to win despite meeting with some trouble of his own, expect the 2000 Guineas winner to be winning again before too long with a bit more luck in running next time
Sir Busker
Oisin Murphy, probably still having nightmares about Kameko’s luckless defeat in the Sussex Stakes on day two of Glorious Goodwood 2020, found himself out of luck in running again in Friday’s Golden Mile Handicap, where he partnered William Knight’s progressive Sir Busker.
An inside draw towards the far rail saw him meet plenty of trouble throughout the run down the Goodwood straight, where the Sir Prancealot gelding constantly found himself trapped behind horses and with nowhere to go.
Once he got the split and started making late headway, where he might have bagged a place, he struck further trouble in the last furlong and was unable to recover the lost ground. A line can be struck through that effort given his luckless run and the progressive four-year old should get back on the winning trail.
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