By Ed Culham
THE seven-furlong World Pool Handicap (5.20pm) at Goodwood today is a tricky race to solve with its large field and numerous choice runners, but it is the perfect opportunity for a World Pool Quinella.
URBAN SPRAWL, a classic Charlie Johnston horse, likes Goodwood, having won over course and distance in a similar handicap in May.
The ground will suit him well enough and, while he’s drawn quite wide in eight, he races prominently and will be hard to pass.
He’s my main play in the race, but I’ll be including him in a World Pool Quinella with RHOSCOLYN and DARKNESS.
David O’Meara’s gelding is down a useful 12 pounds in the handicap from the beginning of the season, and has always run well at Goodwood, with a win and three places from five starts at the track.
He likes to have some cut in the ground, so connections will be pleased by the poor weather forecast.
He has the benefit of Oisin Murphy in the saddle, and the last time they teamed up he was second in the 2021 Golden Mile.
Also trained by O’Meara, Darkness is another I like the look of.
He was a good horse in his native France, winning a Listed race over a mile as a two-year-old, but took a long time to adjust to his new surroundings when moving to the UK last year.
His form this season has been much better, and he was last seen winning a competitive mile handicap at Newmarket in July.
Despite having gone up three pounds for this run, he is still well-handicapped on his old form and won’t have issues with the soft ground.
POINTERS
Urban Sprawl e/w 5.20pm Goodwood
Urban Sprawl, Rhoscolyn, Darkness
(World Pool Quinella) 5.20pm Goodwood
