RaceiQ hints and tips for day three of Glorious Goodwood

RaceiQ hints and tips for day three of Glorious Goodwood

By Andy Stephens
Last Updated: Wed 30 Jul 2025
Andy Stephens crunches the numbers ahead of three more Group races at the Qatar Goodwood Festival on Thursday. He gave the 1-2-3 in the Goodwood Cup on Tuesday, with the Trifecta paying £52.90 to a £1 stake.

Azizam rates a Richmond wager 

Karl Burke is enjoying another fabulous year with his two-year-olds – 31 of his 50 winners have been juveniles at a strike-rate of 32 per cent – and the RaceiQ metrics suggest his AZIZAM is an intriguing contender in the Markel Richmond Stakes. 
The 115,000gns Tatts Craven Breeze-Up drifted out to 9-1 on his debut at Hamilton in late May, partly because a Wathnan newcomer, Storm Force, who had changed hands for twice as much as him at the same sale, was backed as if defeat was out of the question. 
However, Azizam was much the best even though there was an element of him learning on the job. The winning time was nothing special but he was dominant through the last two furlongs despite Sam James taking things easy in the closing stages. 
Azizam clocked 43.22mph in the second furlong but the most striking feature of his performance was his stride data. The youngster’s peak stride was a mighty 8.51 metres, with his average being 8.02. He averaged 2.37 strides per second, so clearly has the ability to cover plenty of ground in a short space of time. 
James Cowley told us more about Azizam at Hamilton
He was not underestimated in the market when he ran in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot last time and his staying-on third to Havana Hurricane (he dead-heated for that position with the 97-rated Rogue Legend) demands an upgrade. 
Drawn 23 of 23, he was no closer than 17th with two furlongs to run before staying on stoutly to make the frame. He was first home on the near side, with only two horses, including the winner, who raced away from him, being quicker through the final two furlongs. 
Azizam is clearly open to more improvement, having had only two races, and the stats suggest he will be well served by the extra furlong on Thursday, for all that his sire, Havana Grey, winner of the Molecomb at Goodwood in 2017, never won beyond the minimum trip. That is a little misleading, too, given that he was a keeping on second in the Prix Morny on his only outing over 6f. 
Havana Hurricane won the Windsor Castle with authority and meets Azizam on the same terms. However, he did not reproduce that form when touched off in the Super Sprint just 12 days ago and his trainer admitted he did not stay when previously tried over 6f at Epsom last month, for all that he finished second. The RaceiQ data supports her theory as he was only fifth fastest through the final furlong. 
Coppull may pose a bigger threat, having always been in the thick of the action when third in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. He fared best of those who raced prominently, although RaceiQ rated the winning time of the clear-cut winner, Gstaad, as no more than par and the overall form has taken some knocks. 

Merchant has the goods 

The official ratings suggest that MERCHANT is superior to just one rival, Too Soon, in the seven-runner HKJC World Pool Gordon Stakes but the bookmakers see it differently, making him a short-priced favourite. Crunching the RaceiQ numbers indicates the layers are right to be cautious. 
Merchant initially looked something of a handicap project for William Haggas but it is now possible he has a Classic prospect on his hands, for all that the colt would need supplementing for the St Leger. 
It was impossible not to be impressed by his King George V Stakes triumph at Royal Ascot as he powered home from off the pace to floor his 18 rivals. 
He still had ten horses in front of him two furlongs from home but Tom Marquand had been told to ride him with confidence and his mount duly flew through the penultimate furlong in 11.63sec and followed that with a final 12th furlong of 11.68sec despite the overall gallop having been sound. Overall, he completed the final three furlongs in 35.23sec, being one of only three horses to dip under 36sec. 
It had been a similar story when Merchant breezed home at York on his penultimate start, when running over 12f for the first time, although on that occasion he was ridden closer to the pace. 
The handicapper has raised him from 90 to 103 for his win at Ascot but there’s growing evidence that may well underplay him. After all, he won at the main expense of Serious Contender (gave 2lb) at Ascot and that horse has since bustled up Lambourn, his stablemate, in the Irish Derby.
And at York he had too many gears for Rahiebb (gave 8lb) and he was subsequently an eye-catching third in the Queen’s Vase, with Scandanavia, winner of the Goodwood Cup on Tuesday, behind him. 
Rahiebb reopposes Merchant and is an interesting horse in his own right, with his staying-on third from off the pace at Ascot needing marking up as the RaceiQ numbers confirm he came home strongest of all after not getting the rub of the green. 
This drop back in trip is not ideal, though, and Merchant simply had too many gears for him at York, albeit when getting plenty of weight. It could be the same story, despite the revised terms. 

Give the favourite a Whirl in the Nassau 

WHIRL is going to be a tough nut to crack in the Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on Thursday. 
The Aidan O’Brien-trained filly was game when making all in the Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh last time, having previously been touched off by Minnie Hauk in the Oaks. It’s unclear what her optimum trip is, but the RaceiQ metrics leave us in no doubt that she has plenty of speed. 
The Oaks was not a stamina test with the data flagging up plenty of slow and very slow furlongs along the way. As a consequence, none of the nine runners had a Finishing Speed percentage of less than 106%, and RaceiQ’s Time Index was only 5.9 out of 10, when the meeting average was 6.3. 
Wayne Lordan was responsible for the steady pace on Whirl that day, perhaps mindful she had also flashed plenty of speed when previously running away with the Musidora at York. 
Enjoy a full replay of the Pretty Polly. The RaceiQ data tells us Ryan Moore dictated steady fractions before putting his foot on the accelerator
Many assumed Whirl subsequently outstayed the opposition from the front when dropping back in trip for the Pretty Polly at The Curragh but the sectionals suggest otherwise. 
They reveal she was again asked to set no more than ordinary fractions for the first five furlongs before turning on the afterburners. She hit her top speed of 40.43mph in the penultimate furlong – the quickest she’s achieved since making her debut over 7f last summer. 
Again, the Finishing Speed Percentage of all the runners was at least 104.6%, with Whirl’s being 107.56. Kalpana threatened to go past but was fended off, with her subsequent gallant second to Calandagan in the King George being a nod to her conqueror. 
Whirl could have some competition for the lead this time in Running Lion, who has often been a front-runner. However, she has never been asked to lead when racing beyond a mile and arrives on the back of a tame surrender in the Falmouth. 
It's not difficult imagine a scenario where Whirl is again allowed to bowl along at the head of affairs at her own pace. Expect Moore to gradually wind things up and preserve energy for a strong finish, much as he did when making all on Opera Singer for O’Brien in this race 12 months ago. 
Opera Singer won at the main expense of See The Fire, who now seeks to go one better. She’s progressed again in the interim, romping home by 12 lengths in the Middleton Stakes at York before finishing third to Ombudsman in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last time. 
However, the RaceiQ data confirms the Middleton was not quite what it seemed – the race fell apart after the leaders went off far too fast – and she had no excuses at Ascot, when beaten 4½ lengths. 
She faces a tricky task conceding 9lb to Whirl, especially if her main rival gets an easy time of it at the head of affairs. 
Racing TV encourages responsible gambling - to find out more click here to head to our dedicated website page.
Copyright 2025 Racing TV - All Rights Reserved.
My Account
Home
Watch
Live
Replays
On Demand
Catch Up
Tv Schedule
RTV Play Schedule
Racecards
Racecards
Today's Runners
Non-Runners
Tommorow's Runners
Racing Calendar
Results
Tips
Racing TV Tipsters
Nap Of The Day
News
All
Latest
Highlights
Columnists
Most Viewed
Free Bets
Members
Benefits
Join Offers
RtvExtra
Club Days
Syndicate
Magazine
Rewards4Racing
Tracker
More
Racecourses
Profiles
Responsible Gambling
Racecourse Offers
Racing TV Syndicate
Casino Offers & Free Spins
RaceiQ
TV Authentication
Royal Ascot
Cheltenham Festival
Patch Time
DeviceID
Version
production-
Races
Tips
Watch
Results
Menu