Five Tips For Glorious Goodwood: What To Bet On This Week

The Qatar Goodwood Festival, affectionately known to most racing fans as ‘Glorious Goodwood’, is one of the highlights of the British racing calendar.

There are 13 Group races spread across five days of top-class Flat action and Group 1 contests like the Goodwood Cup, Sussex Stakes and Nassau Stakes light up the first three days of the meeting.

The ultra-competitive Stewards’ Cup, one of the most competitive sprint handicaps run anywhere in the world, which is the highlight of the final day. 

Glorious Goodwood is always one of the biggest betting meetings of the year and punters now have even more choice than normal because on Tuesday through to Thursday (the Group 1 days), Glorious Goodwood is a Tote World Pool event. 

The international nature of the Multi-Million Euro Racing Pool, which is bet into by 20 countries across the globe, means that bettors now have access to a variety of great value wagers.

Here are our top five bets from the 2022 Qatar Goodwood Festival.

Tuesday 4.10 - Nicholson Gin Handicap (5f)

There are plenty of possible winners of what looks a competitive sprint handicap but a double-figure price about last year’s emphatic winner Lord Riddiford who is 14/1, with betting sites is very tempting. 

It’s easy to see why the layers are feeling generous about a horse that has finished no better than sixth on his last four starts but John Quinn’s prolific winner has been knocking about in some warm events and he was only beaten around four lengths in a decent contest at Doncaster last time. 

The net result is that Lord Riddiford heads to Goodwood on Tuesday rated 1lb lower than when he hosed up in this contest 12 months ago.

Ground conditions look set to be quicker this time round but that won’t be an issue for this versatile performer and, given how well-suited Lord Riddiford looked under these conditions last year, it’s likely that connections have had this race on the radar for some time. 

Expect him to step up on recent efforts.

Wednesday 3.00 - Markel Molecomb Stakes (5f)

Rocket Rodney is likely to be all the rage for this after his very impressive Sandown success but he doesn’t have a great deal to spare over some rivals that remain open to further progress so there looks to be some value in taking him on. 

The Platinum Queen looks worth keeping on side but preference is for the progressive Irish raider Studio City (best odds 10/1) who looked a colt going places when he spread-eagled a field of Navan maidens earlier this month. 

That form isn’t anything to shout about but this Cotai Glory colt shapes like a real improver that has an even bigger effort in him in stronger company. 

His trainer Michael O’Callaghan isn’t one to waste overseas trips so it’s a pointer in itself that he thinks this colt has what it takes to go well in a race like this, and the trainer won this race in 2020 with Steel Bull so he knows what is required. 

It shouldn’t come as a surprise should Studio City be able to take a sufficiently chunky step forward to go close here.

Thursday 2.25 - Richmond Stakes (6f)

Noble Style, so impressive in a quick time on debut, could still be anything but he’s been off since that May success and this is no penalty kick. 

Take him on with Royal Scotsman, the only course and distance winner in this field, who ran a blinder when third in the Coventry Stakes last time. 

Jim Crowley’s mount travelled so well through that Royal Ascot contest that he possibly found himself in front sooner than ideal and inexperience may well have contributed to his defeat that day. 

However, that is a level of form that entitles Royal Scotsman to major respect here, especially as there is probably more to come from the son of Gleneagles. 

He’s proved effective on fast and slow ground so far and it’s hard to see anything other than a big run from the Paul & Oliver Cole's runner in this Group 2.

Friday 1.50 - Coral Goodwood Handicap (2m4.5f)

A wide-open staying heat on paper but Make My Day has better credentials than his 14/1 odds with Tote imply and Gary Moore’s charge looks a solid play to enhance his decent record at Goodwood.

Make My Day, who won his maiden at this venue, went mighty close to doubling up when beaten less than a length in a strong two-mile handicap in June despite not getting the clearest of passages up the inside rail in the closing stages. 

He can easily be forgiven his 11-length defeat at Royal Ascot given he suffered a nightmare passage from off the pace, on ground that would have been quick enough, and the son of Galileo remains handicapped to win one of these. 

Everything looks right for a big run this time. 

Saturday 2.45 - Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes (1m6f)

No prices for originality here but any odds-against about Free Wind (best odds 11/10) should be snapped up with horse racing betting sites because John and Thady Gosden’s improving filly will likely go off odds-on if this field cuts up. 

Free Wind heads to Goodwood on the back of three Group wins, none more impressive than when she overcame horrific trouble in running to win the Lancashire Oaks on her first start of the season. 

The four-year-old looked progressive last year, winning four of her five starts, but her Haydock return strongly suggests that she’s an even better version in 2022. 

In a controversial running of the Lancashire Oaks, the daughter of Galileo was severely hampered when she tried to go for a gap up the inside rail and the door was slammed shut by Jim Crowley on Eshaada. 

Despite losing valuable momentum at such a crucial point in the race, Free Wind was able to get rolling again, storming home through the final furlong to score with plenty in hand. 

That was the performance of a filly capable of scoring at the highest level so she should have far too much for these Group 2 rivals.