ITV Racing tips: Glorious Goodwood

Telegraph

6 days ago

The opening day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival, or Glorious Goodwood as it's more commonly known, features the Group 1 Goodwood Cup, as well as two other fascinating Group races.
In total, there are eight races – and more than 100 runners across the card – and our in-house racing expert Ron Wood has previews and tips for each of them, including a NAP selection.
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Ron Wood's selections
NAP:
Dubai Treasure (5.30, Goodwood) 1pt win @ 5/2 with Betfred ⭐⭐⭐
Next best:
Scandinavia (3.05, Goodwood) 1pt win @ 11/4 with Betfred ⭐⭐⭐
Others:
Castle Cove (1.20, Goodwood) 1pt win @ 7/2 with Betfred ⭐⭐⭐
Dorset (1.55, Goodwood) 1pt win @ 7/4 with Betfred ⭐⭐⭐
Noble Champion (2.30, Goodwood) 1pt win @ 8/1 with Betfred ⭐⭐
Jakajaro (3.45, Goodwood) 1pt win @ 8/1 with Betfred ⭐⭐
Wheels Of Fire (3.45, Goodwood) 1pt win @ 22/1 with Betfred ⭐⭐
High Approval (4.20, Goodwood) 1pt win @ 4/1 with Betfred ⭐⭐
Dash Of Azure (4.55, Goodwood) 1pt win @ 10/3 with Betfred ⭐⭐⭐
Odds provided by Betfred and correct at the time of writing. Stars denote strength of selection (maximum five).
If you already have a Betfred account and are looking for a new bookmaker to use on this week's racing, check out more free bets from the best betting sites, reviewed by our experts
1.20 Goodwood – Class 2 Handicap (1m 2f; ITV1 & Racing TV)
The opening race of Glorious Goodwood 2025 features its previous two winners, Ancient Rome (2023) and Take Heart (2024), but this time it can go to the William Haggas-trained CASTLE COVE.
The selection might not want the ground to dry out, but the straight was watered on Monday and Tuesday's forecast is on the cool side with possible light rain, so conditions are unlikely to be that quick.
Castle Cove won well at Chester on his return from an 11-month absence and runner-up Grey Cuban won next time out but now meets the Haggas runner again on 2lb worse terms.
1.55 Goodwood – Vintage Stakes (Group 2, 7f; ITV1 & Racing TV)
There are plenty with potential in this juvenile contest and Aidan O'Brien's DORSET might be the best of them.
This Wootton Bassett colt has had two starts in 7f maidens at the Curragh, confirming his debut promise when winning at the second attempt. Two stablemates who finished behind him that day have since won.
The maiden race that Dorset landed was won two years ago by the same connections' subsequent Derby winner, City Of Troy.
2.30 Goodwood – Lennox Stakes (Group 2, 7f; ITV1 & Racing TV)
This features last season's winner Audience, who needs to bounce back in the added cheekpieces.
There's also Kinross, who will be contesting this race for the fifth straight year. His form figures from the last four runnings read 1213. He's tempting following a good reappearance second to Ten Bob Tony, now being 5lb better off with that rival.
However, NOBLE CHAMPION, for the same connections as Ten Bob Tony, might be worth taking to back up his Group 3 Jersey Stakes success over 7f at Royal Ascot. He was 25/1 that day, but won well and the form has worked out. The selection cost 500,000gns as a yearling and is highly regarded by Ed Walker.
3.05 Goodwood – Goodwood Cup (Group 1, 2m; ITV1 & Racing TV)
It might be worth taking the Aidan O'Brien-trained SCANDINAVIA to upset his more high-profile stablemate Illinois.
The latter sets a good standard, but it's possible Scandinavia is an exceptional stayer in the making.
The selection wasn't helped by a wide trip when fifth in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot, and he then ran away with the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy over 1m 5f at Newmarket.
No three-year-old has won the Goodwood Cup since the wonderful Stradivarius in 2017, but Scandinavia looks like a relentless galloper who can improve again now he tackles 2m for the first time, and it's interesting that his connections are giving him his chance against Illinois.
3.45 Goodwood – Class 2 Handicap (5f; ITV1 & Racing TV)
This is a cracking race, really competitive, and I fancy having a couple of goes at it with horses who have been selected on these pages before, specifically JAKAJARO and WHEELS OF FIRE.
Jakajaro is well handicapped on his best form and probably would have won had he got a clear run at Ascot last time. He tanks through his races, over-racing if anything, so this rapid 5f will suit him.
Wheels Of Fire is in danger of becoming disappointing, but the feeling remains that he has a big effort in him and this test will suit him as well, being another runner with a good cruising speed.
4.20 Goodwood – Maiden Stakes (Class 2, 6f; Racing TV)
Lots of guesswork is needed in this two-year-old event. The standard is set by Naval Light, for Wathnan Racing, on the form of his eighth-placed finish in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, but a chance is taken on the owner's second string, HIGH APPROVAL.
The selection was a beaten favourite on his first two starts, but a newly fitted tongue-tie might help him and he's entered in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes (as are Naval Light and Yorkshire Puds).
High Approval cost €400,000 this year and he's a May foal, so he may still be developing. It will be no surprise if he proves capable of better than he has shown so far.
4.55 Goodwood – Class 3 Fillies' Handicap (1m; Racing TV)
There's still better to come from DASH OF AZURE, who was Group 3-entered but is being kept to handicap company off what looks a workable mark of 87.
Having made a winning reappearance and handicap debut at Kempton, Ralph Beckett's filly then shaped well when fifth of 25 in the Sandringham at Royal Ascot.
This daughter of Blue Point cost 240,000gns as a yearling and has a smart pedigree – her dam progressed to win a Listed race at Goodwood.
5.30 Goodwood – Class 3 Fillies' Handicap (6f; Racing TV)
Saeed bin Suroor's DUBAI TREASURE, lightly raced and progressive, will be suited by this drop back to 6f.
The selection travelled easily from a wide draw in a competitive 7f handicap at York on her latest start, before not quite seeing it out, and this greater emphasis on speed is in her favour. She has a lot more still to give.
Tuesday's UK and Irish racing
Flat
Goodwood (1.20-5.30, Racing TV)
Beverley (2.10-5.47, Racing TV)
Ffos Las (5.42-8.30, Sky Sports Racing)
Ripon (6.00-8-40pm, Sky Sports Racing)
Mixed (Flat and jumps)
Galway (5.05-8.20, Racing TV)
What are the Glorious Goodwood highlights for the remainder of the week?
It doesn't get any more exciting than Wednesday's Group 1 Sussex Stakes (3.05), in which Field Of Gold looks to add to his wins in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes.
This John & Thady Gosden-trained runner might be the best horse since the mighty Frankel, who won the Sussex Stakes in 2011.
Also, on Thursday it's the Group 1 Nassau Stakes for the leading middle-distance fillies.
What does NAP mean?
NAP is a word used in betting circles to describe a prediction that a tipster thinks has a particularly strong chance of winning.
Many horse racing tipsters pick out a 'NAP of the day', which is their favoured selection from all the races across the different meetings.
The term NAP derives from the French card game Napoleon. When players of this game thought they had a particularly strong hand that they would win with, they would shout 'Napoleon'.
Star ratings explained
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - confident selection
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - strong fancy
⭐⭐⭐ - fair claims
⭐⭐ - tentative choice
⭐ - minimum confidence
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