Qatar ‘Glorious’ Goodwood Festival Betting Preview – 31.07.2018
There is some big racing coming up with the Qatar ‘Glorious’ Goodwood Festival which starts on July 31st and produces five days of top-class action in the Sussex countryside. This is the famous ‘Glorious Goodwood’ Festival known all around the world and this is one of the top meetings of the entire flat-racing season.
There is some fantastic stuff to come from the festival, with a wealth of Grade One races, the big cavalry charge of the Stewards’ Cup on Saturday, Ladies Day on Thursday and the massive £1 million Qatar Sussex Stakes on Wednesday. So there is plenty for punters to sink their teeth into. Here we take a look at Qatar ‘Glorious’ Goodwood Festival Betting 2018 predictions and odds for this year’s renewal.
Day 1
The action on day one starts up with the Matchbook Betting Exchange Handicap where you have a tight field with Afaak, Alfarris, Dark Red, Rainbow Rebel, Appeared and Silver Line all in single figures for the event. So there should be a strongly contested affair with Afaak the 6/1 odds favourite* (betting odds taken on July 20th, 2018 at 7:17 pm). The highlight of the day though is the 2 mile battle that is the Qatar Goodwood Cup Stakes.
Six of last ten winners of the Goodwood Cup had previously won over at least 2 miles, while each of the last ten winners had all placed in their most recent outing. Another big trend for the Goodwood Cup is that all but two of the last ten winners have been from the first three in the betting. Stradivarius and Torcedor are the strong contenders here and the former claimed the Gold Cup at Ascot back at the end of June and is going to take some stopping. But if you look at all of the trends then Torcedor ticks all the boxes too. It could be some battle.
Goodwood Cup Winner Odds*
Stradivarius 4/7, Torcedor 9/2, Idaho 10/1, Call To Mind 11/1, Desert Skyline 18/1, Dal Harraild 33/1, St Michel 33/1* (betting odds taken on July 20th, 2018 at 7:17 pm)
Prediction: Stradivarius, Torcedor, Idaho
Day 2
The highlight of Wednesday is the Sussex Stakes which is one of the biggest highlights of the entire Glorious Goodwood Festival. This Group 1 feature over the mile course is the one with the £1 million purse on it and you have had some big winners of this race through recent history like Frankel and Kingman. Without Parole heads the betting for this year’s renewal at 7/4 odds with bet365* (betting odds taken on July 20th, 2018 at 7:17 pm).
He has claimed four wins from four starts for his career including the St James’s Palace at Royal Ascot. He looks to be improving very quickly and has a tremendous turn of speed. The foirmer the ground, the better he will be at Goodwood. Gustav Klimt was making up a bit of ground at the end of the St James’s Palace to Without Parole and he is also improving well. He answered a lot of questions about his stamina that Ascot effort.
Expert Eye was a winner at Royal Ascot as well as he claimed victory in the Jersey Stakes. He will be stepping back up to a mile though having failed in his last attempt over the trip in the 2,000 Guineas when he trailed home tenth.
Sussex Stakes Odds*
Without Parole 7/4
Expert Eye 9/4
Gustav Klimt 13/2
Beat The Bank 7/1
Lightning Speak 9/1
Lord Glitters 14/1
Orbaan 25/1
So Beloved 66/1
* (betting odds taken on July 30th, 2018 at 7:17 pm)
Prediction: Without Parole, Gustav Klimt, Lightning Spear
Day 3
We have a good couple of races on Ladies Day to have a look at for our Qatar ‘Glorious’ Goodwood Festival Betting 2018. The Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes which is a trip over one mile and six furlongs. This is one of the newer races at the festival and it gets a bump up to Group Two this year. This field is pretty wide open too. Flattering looks in a good position to get Aidan O’Brien his first win in the race. She has been a bit hit and miss but had a good Oaks and Munster Oaks and is value at 12/1 odds* (betting odds taken on July 30th, 2018 at 7:17 pm). God Given is the outright favourite and looks to have an edge in terms of staying power over the field which could get her close. This will be the first outing at Goodwood though.
Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes Winner Odds*
God Given 10/3
Pilaster 7/2
PRecious Ramotswe 5/1
Isabel de Urbina 8/1
Star Rock 8/1
Maid To Remember 10/1
Flattering 12/1
Dance the Dream 12/1
Natural Scenery 12/1
Lubinka 16/1
Maid Up 16/1
Lady of Shalott 20/1
White Chocolate 20/1
Bar 33/1
* (betting odds taken on July 30th, 2018 at 7:17 pm)
Prediction: Flattering, God Given, Precious Ramotswe
Following that we have the Nassau Stakes, always a popular feature of the Glorious Goodwood Festival. This is a Group One over one and a quarter miles. Aidan O’Brien has struck with the last two winners with Minding and Winter and Ryan Moore was in the saddle for both of them.
Qatar Nassau Stakes Winner Odds*
Urban Fox 11/4
Veracious 3/1
Rhododendron 4/1
Wild Illusion 5/1
Magical 6/1
Billesdon Brook 10/1
Hydrangea 14/1
Nyaleti 25/1
Promising Run 25/1
Wilaminia 40/1
* (betting odds taken on July 30th, 2018 at 7:17 pm)
Because of the O’Brien factor, we have to have a good look at Rhododendron in this one who is a top-class runner. She showed that form with a Newbury win at the Longe Stakes in May, her third top-level win. Because of her bad misfire at the Queen Anne Stakes, she isn’t favourite but if she puts it together on the day she will take some beating.
Urban Fox is trading strongly now having won the Pretty Polly Stakes at Curragh, taking a win over Forever Together, the Epsom Oaks winner in that race. That was an easy victory as well for Urban Fox. Doesn’t partially like the ground soft though and so the conditions are going to be key to her challenge on the day. She ran at Goodwood a couple of years ago so has track experience.
Wild Illusion was runner-up at the Oaks and over a shorter trip here could well flourish. She was also fourth at 1000 Guineas and this would be her first outing over the distance. Has struggled on step ups to longer distances so could be a perfect fit to lay down a challenge at the Nassau Stakes.
Prediction: Rhododendron, Wild Illusion, Urban Fox
Visit Bet365Day 4
The two big feature races of Friday’s action at Goodwood are the Unibet Golden Mile Handicap and the King George Qatar Stakes. This is a big day of racing on the flat calendar so let’s dig into those big features in our Qatar ‘Glorious’ Goodwood Festival Betting 2018 preview.
Golden Mile Handicap odds*
Humbert 11/1
Curiosity 12/1
Cape Byron 12/1
Escobar 12/1
Seniority 12/1
Master The World 12/1
Original Choice 14/1
Tabarrak 14/1
What’s The Story 14/1
Daira Prince 14/1
Firmament 14/1
South Seas 16/1
Mountain Angel 20/1
Bar 25/1
* (betting odds taken on July 30th, 2018 at 7:17 pm)
This used to be the Betfred Mile but the new sponsors are Unibet. This is a one-mile distance for the challenges and the key trend here is age. All but one of the last sixteen winners of the race have been six years old or younger. Last year’s champions Master The World is back but is now seven years old so he has that trend against him now. He has had a busy season and does at least have course and distance success. Some of his recent wins have been at longer distances, so the cut back in distance, especially with him being a year old, he could well find the pace a little too much for him.
Seniority (owned by the Queen) was favourite at Ascot for the Royal Hunt Cup but he couldn’t handle the firm ground on the track. But the fact that he was favourite says a lot about his potential at least and has been trading well for the Golden Mile. Curiosity was second at the Bet365 Mile and has consistency behind him, but has so far lacked that extra spark to find a win. The outright favourite is Humbert who like Curiosity is likely to be there and thereabouts and conditions won’t bother him either way.
Prediction: Curiosity, Humbert, Master The World
Following that one, on Friday we get a look at the King George Qatar Stakes which is a short trip of five furlongs for sprinters. This is one of the big highlights in springs for the flat racing calendar. Five of the last sixteen winners of this race have been the favourite on the day. Eleven of the last sixteen had run at either York, Newmarket or Ascot in their previous outing.
King George Stakes Winner Odds*
Battaash 5/4
Kachy 6/1
Sioux Nation 7/1
Havana Grey 8/1
Mr Lupton 10/1
Washing DC 14/1
Different League 14/1
Heartache 14/1
Muthmir 16/1
Take Cover 16/1
Stone of Destiny 16/1
Battle of Jericho 25/1
Main Desire 25/1
Declaration Peace 33/1
Duke of Firenze 50/1
* (betting odds taken on July 30th, 2018 at 7:17 pm)
The reigning champion Battassh is back to defend his crown after impressing so much in last year’s edition. No horse since 1993-94 has managed to win it back to back though. He totally upstaged a very strong field in this race twelve months ago and he has gotten better as well. He’ll be the highest rated horse in the field and is going to be really hard to oppose in the feature of Friday.
Aidan O’Brien puts his chances in Washington DC who was fifth in the 2017 renewal. But he will have a favourable weight this time around to try and close the gap. He has lost to Battaash twice this season, once at Haydock and then at Ascot though. He was also beaten by Havana Grey in his last outing at Curragh.
So that could bring Havana Grey into the picture as he looks like a really classy youngster. The track should not be a problem for him and will have an advantage with the weight as well. He has been held back well so will be fresh for this challenge and if the ground is quick he has every chance of making a big impression in the trace.
Kachy isn’t without a superb turn of foot either. This is a quick starter who just goes flat out from the stalls to the line. You aren’t going to see much tactics from him either than just busting a gut. He has some decent form but the weight he will have could just be a couple of pounds too much for him to overcome. Conditions will be key because if they are quick on the weekend, then he’s going to fly.
Prediction: Battaash, Havana Grey, Kachy
Day 5
We are only going to be looking at the one race for this day and that is the immensely popular Stewards Cup. Expect plenty of fireworks once again in this show-stopper of a feature race.
Stewards Cup odds*
Bacchus 10/1
Spring Loaded 10/1
Foxtrot Lady 12/1
This Marvellous 14/1
Aces 16/1
Silent Echo 16/1
George Bowen 20/1
Growl 20/1
Gunmetal 20/1
Lancelot du Lac 20/1
Bar 25/1
* (betting odds taken on July 30th, 2018 at 7:17 pm)
Bacchus is at the head of the market after a success at Royal Ascot. He went out afterwards at Newbury and was beaten by fourth lengths by Yafta over the same distance of the 6f and just about the same weight. He is being challenged well in the betting by Spring Loaded who showed some great form at Ascot as well by taking a two-length win over Pyle Vinnie but that was a trip of a furlong less and has yet to really step up it at the 6f mark.
Aces will have some appeal in this one as he won a handicap affair at Epsom earlier this year. He showed tremendous staying power too over the 6f distance and put in a good run in his last showing as well over a longer distance. The staying power is definitely there for him. Growl knows this race well having come home fourth in the last two editions. Has potential, but needs the right day and the right handicap.
Prediction: Bacchus, Aces, Spring Loaded
