Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni believes Opinion Poll would not be winning out of turn in Thursday's Goodwood Cup.
Photo by Racing and Sports
The five-year-old claimed the Lonsdale Cup at York when trained by Michael Jarvis in 2010, but has failed to find the target since joining Godolphin.
He has, however, turned in a number of fine races in defeat, placing three times at the Dubai Carnival and twice running well since returning to Europe. A respectable fourth at Longchamp was followed by an excellent second to Fame And Glory in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.
Al Zarooni said: "I think he has improved since Royal Ascot. His last piece of work was very pleasing and he has run well at Goodwood before, so the course should be no problem. He ran very well in the Gold Cup, but the step back to two miles will suit him.
"Opinion Poll keeps galloping all the way to the line and we have been very unlucky not to win with him so far this year. He always runs a good race and he deserves to win a big contest."
Electrolyser was second in the Group Two contest 12 months ago and Clive Cox is hoping the application of cheekpieces could lead to an even better result.
"He's wearing cheekpieces, which hopefully might give him a bit of confidence in what always looked like being a big field.
"It was a pleasing effort at Sandown and I hope that would have put him spot-on. If he runs similarly to last year he'd have a good chance," said the trainer.
Donald McCain is looking forward to saddling his excellent dual-purpose performer Overturn.
The seven-year-old had the option of defending his crown in the Galway Hurdle, but connections have decided to keep him on the Flat.
"Overturn is in good nick, we just feel that a combination of weight and the ground collared him up the straight at Newcastle (Northumberland Plate) last time," explained McCain.
"We have always had it in the back of our minds that we would like to take him to the Goodwood Cup and see how he gets on, so that is what we are doing. His Chester win was a good run and I have always felt Goodwood might suit him."
* DAVID Lanigan is hoping it will finally be the turn of Meeznah when she runs in the Fillies' Stakes at Goodwood on Thursday.
The four-year-old has only a maiden success to her credit, but she was second past the post behind Snow Fairy in the Investec Oaks last summer and last time out was beaten just half a length by Wild Coco at Newmarket despite the ground being too soft for her.
Wild Coco, trained by Lanigan's former boss Sir Henry Cecil, is again among the opposition in what is a strong renewal of this Group Three heat, registered as the Lillie Langtry Stakes.
"She seems to have come out of her Newmarket race in good order. Hopefully she will have better ground than it was there. We know from her past form (third in the Park Hill Stakes) that she gets the one-mile-six," said Lanigan.
"I'd like to think she has come on for her run at Newmarket because she is a very lazy filly at home. She had longer between her first two starts than I wanted this year. It's not going to be an easy run and our filly has got her work cut out."
Speaking of Wild Coco, Cecil told At The Races: "She went from her maiden into a Listed race at Newmarket against a filly who was second in the Oaks (Meeznah). She did it very well really and I think she's got quite a lot of potential. Let's hope she runs very well at Goodwood.
"She's entered in the Leger and there is the Park Hill and the Yorkshire Oaks. We'll just see what she does. She's a nice filly and she could even get a bit better next year."
In contrast, connections of Field Of Miracles want the ground to be on the soft side for the filly, who put up a tremendous performance in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot when going down by a short head to subsequent Irish Oaks runner-up Banimpire.
"She ran a blinder at Royal Ascot. The form has been franked big time, but the ground would be a concern," said Chris Richardson, managing director of owners Cheveley Park Stud. "She's a Galileo that likes to get her toe in the ground."
* DANCE AND DANCE heads a field of 20 runners for the totesport Mile at Glorious Goodwood on Friday.
Ed Vaughan's five-year-old was narrowly beaten when sent off favourite for the Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot last month and will carry top weight as he bids to go one place better in another fiercely competitive handicap.
Confront is next on the list, taking a huge drop in class after acting as pacemaker for stablemate Workforce in the Coral-Eclipse, while runaway John Smith's Cup hero Green Destiny heads the market for the William Haggas team.
Haggas turns Sooraah out again quickly following her Listed win at Ascot last week, while other major contenders include Highland Knight, Namecheck and Cai Shen. Sagramor was prominent in ante-post lists but is only first reserve and has been declared to run on Thursday.
Pendragon is the second and final name on the reserve list, while Rhythm Of Light and Invisible Man are notable horses who do not feature in the final field.
