Goodwood hosts an exciting day of action on Friday including two Listed contests, the 1m2f Height Of Fashion Stakes and the 1m3f Cocked Hat Stakes.
In the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes (4:10), two debut winners head the market. John & Thady Gosden's Gregory had to be kept to his task when scoring by one-and-three-quarter lengths at Haydock Park over 1m3½f. He had first-start winners If Not Now and Maxident behind him (third and fourth) and shaped as though further improvement was likely. Klondike left his run late when winning on debut for the William Haggas team, stealing the victory by a head. The form has worked out well with second-placed horse Banderas subsequently scoring at Chester.
It would be foolish to dismiss the experienced Charlie Johnston-trained Hadrianus, ridden by Frankie Dettori. The form of his Chester Vase third behind Arrest and Blue Riband Trial second behind Epictetus has the potential to be useful and this race looks an ideal opportunity for a Black Type victory.
WIN: HADRIANUS
The Listed Height of Fashion Stakes (3:00) has attracted an eleven-strong field of fillies, including Godolphin's Veil Of Shadows. A Kempton winner on debut, she was third in the hot Ascot novice stakes on the 3rd of May behind subsequent Musidora second Queen For You under a penalty and steps up in distance for the first time.
She will face Henry Candy's Araminta who has the benefit of racecourse experience, having finished third in the Listed Conqueror Fillies' Stakes on her second racecourse start. She remains unexposed after two runs and can continue to improve. The King's Blue Missile is trained by William Haggas and holds an entry in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. The Galileo filly was a comfortable winner of a 1m novice stakes on the all-weather at Lingfield and makes her seasonal reappearance.
Inner Space was an impressive three-and-three-quarter length winner of a Kempton Park novice on debut in November and returned with a very disappointing effort in the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newbury. She is a daughter of Group 1 winning mare Journey and can bounce back from that performance.
DARK HORSE: INNER SPACE
There are some potentially exciting debutantes on display in the British EBF Novice Stakes (1:50). Amo Racing's Packard was a 150,000 euro purchase as a yearling and holds entries in the Listed Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar and the £300,000 Two-Year-Old Stakes at Doncaster.
Trainer Archie Watson continues to do well with his juveniles and is represented by Ambushed, a half-brother to a two-year-old Listed Marygate Stakes victor. Clive Cox's Double Jump also has a link to that race, being out of Beldale Memory, winner of the 2013 renewal.
RAS SELECTIONS
RACE 1: PACKARD
RACE 2: COME TOGETHER
RACE 3: INNER SPACE
RACE 4: AUTUMN FESTIVAL
RACE 5: HADRIANUS
RACE 6: ANGLE LAND
RACE 7: BLAZEON FIVE
