Jim Delahunt's expert racing tips for Goodwood Festival, Hamilton, Galway and more

Scottish Sun

3 days ago

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JIM Goldie won the 2012 Stewards' Cup with Hawkeyethenoo and the Group One winning trainer can light up Goodwood again with JORDAN ELECTRICS.
Scotland's only Group One winning trainer is building towards a Del Mar Breeders Cup challenge with Royal Ascot winner American Affair but the long trip to Sussex comes first for Saturday's 3.05.
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Richard Kingscote on their way to win the Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes
Credit: PA
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SunSport columnist Jim Delahunt
Credit: Keith Campbell - The Sun Glasgow
Jordan Electrics' win off 71 at Ayr last May sparked an amazing climb up the handicap for a seemingly fully exposed 8 year-old with 6 more wins in 2024 taking his rating to a heady 101 by Ayr Gold Cup day in September.
His future Royal Ascot winning stablemate was backed off the boards down to 11/4 favourite to win a race the trainer has long coveted but it was Jordan Electrics who shone on the day with a 4 lengths 5th of 25 to this year's Curragh Group 2 second Lethal Levi.
Injury delayed the now 9 year-old's comeback until last week's Class 2 return at York behind new Stewards' Cup favourite Elmonjed but stable apprentice Lauren Young did the steering on the old boy's return and Paul Mulrennan gets back on board at Goodwood.
Despite looking ring-rusty in the closing stages on the Knavesmire, Jordan Electrics was only beaten six and a half lengths by the winner and ignoring the apprentice claim on the Goldie horse's first run back for TEN months, he'll be 5lbs better off with the York winner at Goodwood.
NINE of his 16 wins have come at similarly undulating Hamilton and while that's a massive positive heading to Goodwood, his best Racing Post Rating was recorded at York last season with an excellent figure in the book at Ascot as well.
Elmonjed was a 9/2 winner for this column at York last Saturday and I'll be saving on the Haggas horse at Goodwood but Jordan Electrics is a general 33/1 shot for a trainer in spectacular winning form at all levels and those who can shop around might find some of the 40 and 50/1 still available last night.
Whatever the fate of Elmonjed in the big sprint, Haggas looks to have a great chance of a big-race Saturday winner with recent Hamilton scorer SAM HAWKENS up a lenient looking 4lbs in the £100,000 Summer Handicap over a mile and three quarters at 1.55.
The 4 year-old doesn't do anything quickly and looks hard enough work for his rider but Tom Marquand and apprentice Harry Burns have got the better of him at Newcastle and Hamilton the last twice and Marquand gets back in the driving seat on Saturday.
Joseph O'Brien took time out from Galway to land the first race at Goodwood with Omni Man and the trainer can strike again on Saturday with GOODIE TWO SHOES in the Lily Langtry Stakes at 2.30.
The winning maiden hurdler didn't cut it over fences but she's been a revelation switched back to the Flat and this Group 2 is a natural progression after two Listed wins and her latest success in a Group 3.
Tipster Aidan Coleman gives his best bets for the Galway Plate
Jamie Spencer gave Charlie Johnson's ARISAIG a fantastic ride to win over a mile at Glorious Goodwood 12 months ago and the pair get back together for the £150,000 Coral Golden Mile at 2.30.
The 4 year-old has bagged stall 9 in this 20-runner handicap and my selection's course form added to her recent staying on second at Sandown makes it easy to forgive her Royal Ascot run under Spencer from a poor draw away from the main action.
Spencer could have an even better day if Khaadem puts his best foot forward in the King George V Stakes at 3.05 but I've had this race down for BIG MOJO all season and his latest July Cup second was a superb effort.
Charlie Johnston can double up on the day with TRY STORM CAT in the nursery at 4.20 with the trainer diverting his other potential runner TIMEFORSHOWCASING to Newmarket's 2.10 on Saturday.
SPIRIT OF JURA's been off so long her jockey's retired but Charlie Johnston's filly will be fit and ready for Hamilton's 7.0 in Saturday.
Hayley Turner won 3 times on the 3 year-old between January and April and a 4lbs rise shouldn't stop the Masar filly making a winning switch to turf.
HAVANA HURRICANE looked an unlucky loser in the big ales race at Newbury last time but compensation awaits in Goodwood's Richmond Stakes at 1.55.
MERCHANT looks a short-priced banker in the Gordon Stakes at 2.30 and WHIRL can make it worth doubling up in the Nassau at 3.05.
DELAHUNT DAILY
Dysart Enos to win 4.30 Galway
Johnny Burke won a Galway Plate on Shanahan's Turn 10 years ago and the now English-based rider can head home to add a Galway Hurdle on Fergal O'Brien's mare.
Dysart Enos made the frame in the Cheltenham's Greatwood Hurdle and Ayr's Scottish Champion Hurdle last season but connections have always believed she can fly higher and today's turning 2 miles can prove them right.
The 7 year-old warmed up with a close-up 4th in a Kempton novice over 11 furlongs and her 9 lengths Aintree bumper trouncing of subsequent Champion Hurdler Golden Ace continues to jump off the page.
TALKING HORSES - WITH MR ED
JIM GOLDIE could pick all manner of fruity phrases to sum up the most prolific month of his career.
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SunSport racing columnist Ed Watson
Credit: John Kirkby - The Sun Glasgow
But there's perhaps none more appropriate than a good old-fashioned 'Wa-hay!'.
Seventeen winners so far in July have matched his previous best set in July 2023
But he's achieved it from 41 fewer runners this time around - 69 versus 110 two years ago - for an impressive 25 per cent strike-rate.
And the secret of Goldie's success is simple - his tried-and-tested homegrown hay.
He said: 'We grow all our haylage here
'We've got around 30 acres of it, which gets us around 200 bales every year.
'It's not enough to feed all the horses on for the whole year, especially as we now have more of them. It does us for about three months.
'As we want to get them right for Ascot, we start them on it at the beginning of June, then carry on through July and August.
'I think it's a big reason why our horses are always in peak form during the summer months.
'It's all about getting them on a higher fibre diet. If you make their stomachs work properly, you get fewer problems.
'It's the same as any machine, you need to keep it well-oiled for it to work efficiently. Our haylage is that oil.'
The worry for all of Goldie's rivals is he's already harvested an equally healthy crop for next summer.
He added: 'We don't usually bale until into July.
'If you do it too soon, it becomes too rich and then the horses don't eat enough of it.
'Everything's organic, so it's weeds 'n all. We don't put any chemicals into it.
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'We could fertilise it and then we'd maybe get 300 bales, but it wouldn't be as good.
'It's very natural and the horses love it.
'We've got a very good crop again this year. It's just about all baled and wrapped and ready to be stored for next summer.'
Goldie bagged a breakthrough Group 1 success and first Royal Ascot strike when American Affair stormed to glory at last month's showpiece fixture.
The Renfrewshire ace quickly followed that up by passing the 1,000 winner mark on the Flat.
He sends three runners to tonight's Racing League fixture at Wolverhampton as he chases another personal milestone of an 18th winner for the month.
But for once he's not overflowing with confidence about the chances of Eternal Sunshine (5.45), Oriental Prince (7.15) or Midnight Lion (8.45) adding to Scotland's flying start under new captain Alex Steedman in last Thursday's League opener at Yamourth.
Goldie said: 'I think it will be hard. But the prize money is that good, you have to have a go.'
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Jim Goldie could probably argue a fair case why he could be too.
But the title may be about to shift south for a stint given the firepower William Haggas has at his disposal in that department right now.
Some major prizes are surely heading the Newmarket handler's way during the second half of the season.
Elmonjed hoovered up a bumper pot at York last weekend and is chasing another in Saturday's Stewards' Cup.
Almeraq and Binhareer blitzed their way up Ayr's straight in recent weeks in the manner of three-year-olds capable of cherry-picking their way through the ranks this autumn.
Reinforced shelving for the Haggas trophy cabinet is presumably already on order.
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