One short-priced winner was a somewhat disappointing return from four strong fancies last week. This week I have four more picks at Racing TV tracks and am hopeful of a much better return.
I like the look of Beltane here on the back of a fine effort at Catterick last time out, when finishing a very good second to Sweeping, who had previously been fourth in the Chesham.
He was always prominent that day but hampered three furlongs out before staying on strongly all the way to the line, pulling 4ΒΌ lengths clear of the third.
This was just his second start and was an improvement on what he achieved at Catterick, on his debut, over 6f. In part, the improvement was brought about by greater experience, but the step up to 7f also seemed to help.
Now over a stiffer 7f, more improvement is on the cards as he is bred to stay at least a mile. He also looks like he could be the controlling speed here, should connections wish to go forward with him. He holds outstanding claims to get us off to a flyer.
This talented sprint handicapper looks to have been going through the motions in three starts this year and it is not surprising that trainer Charlie Hills is re-equipping him with headgear, which has always brought out the best in this horse in the past.
Four of his career wins have come when wearing blinkers and he has put up some useful performances in defeat when wearing them. There is little doubt that he is not straightforward, but Jim Crowley has won three times on him, and he is again in the saddle.
His return effort this season was an excellent fourth in the Listed Achilles Stakes at Haydock, and that was without the headgear. He then looked in need of the headgear in two subsequent efforts and now with blinkers re-fitted is the time to get with him. Off top-weight he rates as the class act in this Class Two event and I have no doubt his best performance of the season will be forthcoming.
4.00 Goodwood: Double Or Bubble at 3-1 with William Hill
This horse was a winner in this column when winning at Pontefract over 6f last time out and, given the forecast fast ground conditions, she just edges out the useful Rhoscolyn as my selection as I believe the latter is at his best with some cut in the ground.
By contrast, Double Or Bubble is most effective on quick ground. She was fast enough to win over a stiff 6f last time and a return to 7f will be no problem. She won impressively over the latter trip at Newmarket on good to firm ground in April and has been progressing nicely ever since, bar a blip at Royal Ascot where she failed to stay a mile. I expect her to take another step forward here and to have too much speed for her rivals.
4.35 Goodwood: Highland Rocker at 2-1 with William Hill
This colt, trained by the Gosdens, rates as my best bet of the day. He is already useful, having had only five starts in his career, the last of which will have collateral form students purring.
He finished fourth in a Class Two Handicap at Newmarket where he was not well positioned held up off the pace and found trouble in running.
The winner was Dubai Honor, who next time out won a Group Two at Deauville. The second, Foxes Tales, won a Group Three at Haydock next time out and the third, King Of Clubs won a Class Two handicap next time out at Sandown. To say that the race is working out well would be an understatement and I think Highland Rocker would have been much closer to the winner with a smoother passage.
With all of that in mind, he makes for an attractive proposition here racing off the same mark of 91. He will be hard to beat.