By Ed Culham
JUVENILE races at this time of the year are difficult puzzles to work out as highly raced two-year-olds meet promising, unexposed types for what could be the very first time.
This year’s slightly underwhelming Group Two Vintage Stakes (3.25pm) is no different to the norm, but it looks like the experienced HAATEM is the one to side with at 3/1 with William Hill.
The Phoenix Of Spain colt has raced five times for trainer Richard Hannon, winning one and finishing second on his last start behind Aidan O’Brien’s future Guineas horse, City Of Troy, in the Group Two Superlative Stakes at Newmarket’s July Festival.
Furthermore, the Bath maiden victor has good form at the track having powered through the line to finish third on debut in good-to-soft conditions, similar to the ground they are expecting on day one of the Glorious meeting.
With the World Pool in operation for the first three days of Goodwood, playing him alongside Tom Clover’s WITNESS STAND in a Quinella looks like an interesting bet as the colt by Expert Eye was an impressive winner at Chester in late June and should handle any give in the ground.
Another who should appreciate any rain that falls at the West Sussex track is ALASKAN GOLD at around 10/1 in the British EBF 40th Anniversary Maiden Stakes (2.15pm).
By Kodiac, he was an expensive purchase at £200,000 from the Breeze-Up sales in April and made a promising debut at Nottingham on rain-softened ground 11 days ago.
Trained by Karl Burke, who has fired out plenty of juvenile winners this year, he looks like a typical improver at double-figure odds.
POINTERS
Alaskan Gold e/w 2.15pm Goodwood
Haatem 3.25pm Goodwood
Haatem, Witness Stand
(World Pool Quinella) 3.25pm Goodwood
