The Stewards’ Cup, run over 6
furlongs, is the betting highlight on the fifth and final day of what
is now known as the Qatar Goodwood Festival. A maximum field of 28
runners is set to face the starter on Saturday and, as usual, we’ve
selected a few that we think could go well at generous odds.
The first of them, Poyle Vinnie (16/1),
did us a favour when making all in the Scottish Stewards’ Cup at
Hamilton fifteen days ago and still looks reasonably treated under a
6lb penalty. The Piccolo gelding has officially improved by 34lb
since the start of last season but, judged on his Hamilton effort,
may not have finished improving just yet. He’s won on soft, good
and good to firm going, so shouldn’t be inconvenienced by drying
conditions at the West Sussex track between now and Saturday and he’s
not badly drawn to execute his usual front-running tactics in stall
4.
Basil Berry (33/1) finished seventh,
beaten 5½ lengths, in the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot and ran to
a similar level of form, despite being denied a clear run in the
closing stages, in a 0-100 contest over 7 furlongs at Haydock four
weeks ago. He’s only 2lb higher in the weights than when winning in
0-95 company at Ascot in May, has the services of Silvestre De Sousa,
who’s 2-4 on him, and is drawn in the range of stalls that has
produced eight of the last ten winners of the Stewards’ Cup.
So far, we’ve selected one drawn low
and one drawn in the middle, so it makes some sense to have one drawn
high as well. Fortunately enough, our third and final selection,
Related (18/1), is drawn right on the stands’ side in stall 24. In
fact, David Simcock’s 5-year-old finished two places and 2½
lengths ahead of Basil Berry in the Wokingham Stakes and is just 1lb
worse off. He may not be as well drawn as Basil Berry this time, but
his fourth of seventeen, beaten just 1¼ lengths, behind Rene Mathis
in the Bunbury Cup, over 7 furlongs at Newmarket three weeks ago was
another solid effort and he should be thereabouts once again.
So, in order of preference, our three
against the field this week are Poyle Vinnie (16/1 generally
available), Related (18/1 with Bet365) and Basil Berry (33/1
generally available). Good luck!
