By Ed Culham
HORSES for courses is a term often bandied around in racing, but it certainly rings true when it comes to John Quinn’s LORD RIDDIFORD.
The eight-year-old, who takes his chance in the opening Coral Handicap (1.40pm), will be bidding to win this race for a third straight year and at the Qatar Goodwood Festival for a fourth time, all over the minimum distance of five furlongs.
His winning run on the Sussex Downs started back in 2018 when he took a Class Three handicap, but he couldn’t follow up 12 months later when stepped up to this Class Two level.
An impressive win on soft ground in 2021 off a mark of 88 was repeated off a pound lower mark 12 months ago and he arrives today lower still on 84.
Andrea Atzeni gets the leg up on the old boy for the first time and he will hope his draw in stall 15 against the stands rail is advantageous.
When the ground gets soft at Goodwood the stands side tends to be the place to be, but Lord Riddiford is a hold-up horse, so he’ll need a bit of luck.
At around the 6/1 mark he looks a very fair each-way bet, but I’m also going to back EXISTENT who completely blew the start at Ascot on Saturday.
Stuart Williams’ five-year-old son of Kingman was narrowly beaten in the Group Three Palace House Stakes at Newmarket in April 2022 and was a good fourth in the Group Two Temple Stakes at Haydock just a couple of months ago.
He is a on a fair handicap mark, handles soft ground well and can outrun his odds of 14/1.
I would put both those selections in a World Pool Quinella along with the likely favouriteRAASEL who, like Lord Riddiford, is another Goodwood specialist.
In three visits to the picturesque track, he has won two and finished a neck second to Khaadem in last year’s Group Two King George Qatar Stakes.
Mick Appleby’s six-year-old has yet to get his head in front so far this season, but he hasn’t been running badly and he’s come down in the weights.
Now on a handicap mark of 101, he shouldn’t be too far away under James Doyle.
There are plenty of others with chances, but the three mentioned should give you a decent run for your money.
Charlie Johnston will be hoping to keep up the family tradition of saddling plenty of winners at this meeting and he looks to have a particularly strong chance in the closing six-furlong World Pool British EBF Fillies’ Handicap (5.35pm).
KITAI, a daughter of No Nay Never, is on a roll having won impressively at Carlisle on soft over seven furlongs two starts back, and then following up over six at Pontefract last month.
That last victory moved her mark up to 92 and meant she could then be targeted at this 0-95 event.
Stable jockey Joe Fanning takes the ride and I expect him to have her well positioned at the front of the field and, as we all know, these Johnston horses can be very difficult to pass, particularly at Goodwood.
Funny Story has some decent form and is an obvious danger for the in-form Ralph Beckett team, but he has to prove he can go on the ground.
POINTERS
Lord Riddiford e/w 1.40pm Goodwood
Existent e/w 1.40pm Goodwood
Lord Riddiford, Existent, Raasel
(World Pool Quinella) 1.40pm Goodwood
Kitai 5.35pm Goodwood
