Preview - Day Three - Goodwood

The weather promises to play a big part, especially if the predicted rain arrives which will cause hassle for many punters studying each race. Also, draw bias has had an impact on the results over the first two days. In short, in handicaps with more than 16 runners it pays to be be drawn high, but in smaller fields, results are showing that being drawn low is an advantage. Take it as you will, it is difficult enough trying to find a winner taking into account many other factors such as trip, ground and weights let alone which stall they are housed in! Anyway, hopefully I can find a winner or two to brighten up the day.

The first race looks like a tough opener for punters but on form Mirrored looks to have a decent chance. He was entered up for Friday's Totesport Mile but trainer Sir Michael Stoute has opted to race him here and race over near two furlongs further. Since winning two small handicaps in April and May, he really has improved into a useful handicapper. He ran a huge race at Royal Ascot in the Britannia Stakes, finishing third and losing out by a small margin. On his previous start, again over a mile, he was staying on to take third at Sandown after being set a little too much to do. The way he has being seeing out his races is pleasing and with his trainer and jockey (Ryan Moore) bang in form, he will take all the beating. Roman Republic has twice finished behind Mirrored this season but he showed improved form after being upped in trip to 10f on his last start. Mark Johnston's charge will probably race prominently and rates as a good each-way bet given that he is guaranteed to stay. Sopranist is a lightly-raced individual from the John Gosden stable and has shown improvement on each start. Set The Trend has progressed well and ran well on his only start on turf at Haydock, staying on without looking like the winner. He could go well for his in-form trainer. It is a tough race to unravel with many of these unexposed and with further improvement to come so stakes should be kept small, even though Mirrored looks sure to run well with lots in his favour.

The Audi Stakes over 5f looks sure to run at a break-neck gallop and the admirable and consistent Borderlescott heads the market. Robin Bastiman's seven-year-old is a credit to his stable as he always runs his heart out and looks set to improve on the form shown at Goodwood during his career, as four runs at the track have yielded a win, two seconds and a third. He obviously loves the track and is adaptable in terms of ground so if the rain does come his chances may not be as affected as his rivals. After a confidence-boosting win at Chester last time out, he will be in prime shape to take his chance. If the weather does take a turn for the worst, Ialysos's participation may be in doubt as he needs good ground to be at his best. He has been a revelation since joining Luca Cumani from Greece and has won nine of his 10 starts, his only defeat coming in the Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes where he found the opposition too good. This level is much more his grade and he got back to winning ways at Sandown, staying on well up the rail to win. He picks up a penalty for that race but is in good form and if the rain stays away, he will go close. Kingsgate Native is an interesting runner having returned to racing after proving to be infertile at stud. On his first run back, he was up against in the Golden Jubilee and was eased down after failing to land a blow. He is a top-class performer having won the Kings Stand Stakes as a three-year-old. If back to his best, he will take all the beating. Inxile is a consistent sort and has won some nice races abroad this season. He is in form and should run well again. Many of the runners are out of form and need to up their game to feature, but of the remainder, Total Gallery ought to go well after winning well over 6f at Newmarket.

The much-anticipated Goodwood Cup over 2m takes centre stage at 3:25 and it looks a very competitive affair. Schiaparelli is the forecast favourite and looks interesting for Goldophin and Frankie Dettori. He ran a huge race in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket's July meeting, where he was seemingly unfancied but kept going under his jockey and even though he was demoted to third after drifting across Alwaary, he found only the high-class Doctor Fremantle too good. He is up in trip 4f today and would appreciate the rainfall given that his best form has come with some ease in the ground. He is a four-time Group 1 winner and it will take a good one to topple him. Askar Tau is arguably the most interesting runner of the festival, having his first start of the season after disappointing as favourite in last season's Cesarewitch in October. Before that, he had racked up five wins in handicap company over marathon distances such as this and even though this will be his first try in Group class, he has to be feared. Now that his trainer Marcus Tregoning in back in form after a virus at the yard, advertised by Finjaan's decisive win in Tuesday's Betfair Cup, Askar Tau should go well back to this distance and with conditions in his favour. Enroller is another up in trip after two solid efforts in good company this season. He began his season in fine style, winning a soft-ground Group 3 at Newbury. He is consistent but may need some cut to be at his best. It will be hard to discount the old boy Caracciola, who has been in tremendous form on the level this season. He won last season's Cesarewitch over 2m 2f and after gamely holding on at York, he headed to Royal Ascot to contest the Queen Alexandra Stakes over 2m 6f. He bullied his rivals into submission that day and forged clear to score readily and he in his current mood he looks sure to go well. Mourilyan is worthy of a mention after his antics in Dubai. He is dour stayer and Gary Moore will have him in top shape.

In-keeping with the competitive nature, the Moet Hennessy Stakes, confined to fillies, looks equally as tough. Lucy Wadham's Cassique Lady is progressing all the time and tackles this distance for the first time. She won a Listed race in determined fashion on her previous run and based on that effort should go well with Ryan Moore in the saddle. She is the highest-rated runner in the field and is versatile in terms of ground and trip. Suailce represents Dermot Weld and is a tough stayer. Even though proven on quicker ground, her best form has come on surfaces with some give and will certainly make it tough for her opponents, given that some are going into unknown territory over this trip. She has the strong assistance of Jimmy Fortune in the plate and will be challenging late. Starfala has been running with credit of late over 10f but she could find more improvement now tackling this distance. She has improved rapidly and has a rating of 100, but could prove better now getting more of a stamina test. The form of her last race in the Lancashire Oaks at Haydock is working out well, with the winner and third going on to score on their next starts. Frankie Dettori gets the ride and she will go well. Victoria Montoya is a proven stayer and is a course and distance winner. This trip looks her optimum as she has gained three wins from five races at it and has conditions to suit. In a tricky race, she is another who can get involved.

Another three-year-old handicap, this time over 7f but it looks just as hard to solve. Brae Hill won nicely at Chester on his last start and has only gone up 5lbs in the weights, which looks lenient. He has a good draw in 15 and has the potential to progress further so he can go well for Hayley Turner. Shamwari Lodge was a beaten favourite in a decent Newmarket handicap on just her fifth career start last time out. She was dropped to a mile but could not cope with the pace shown by some of her rivals and she stayed on to finish eighth. Back up to 7f today, she may bounce back to her best form. Infiraad was well fancied for the Jersey Stakes at Ascot's Royal meeting but he failed to show anything like his best and he trailed in last. Something must have been amiss that day and he can be given another chance after looking like a good prospect before that. He has his conditions and he will have no excuses. Many of the others have some sort of chance but Suruor ran a cracker on his last run at Ascot and if in the same form has the ability to go well under Jimmy Fortune for trainer David Simcock.

The penultimate race on the card is a maiden race over 7f and the betting will play a huge part in indicating who will fare the best. Water Biscuit represents Brian Meehan and she has finished runner-up twice during her short career. Meehan's juveniles generally improve for the run on debut and she was narrowly denied by the more-experienced Bella Swan at Newmarket last time out. She is upped to this trip from 7f and with Frankie Dettori aboard, much is expected. Laureldean Spirit should have improved for her promising debut run, where she was beaten by greeness and immaturity. She was well fancied and took up the running with a furlong out and looked set to win but she began to idle and was caught by a Godolphin inmate. The experience will have done her good and she can be expected to improve significantly here for her in-form trainer Richard Fahey and jockey Paul Hanagan. Ghazwah is another who will benefit from her debut run, where she finished behind Water Biscuit. She needed the run that day and with John Gosden's juveniles going well she will go well under Richard Hills. In any maiden race, it would be unwise to ignore anything entered by Richard Hannon. He has three in the race, but all of them would need to improve to take this, with Paleo looking the stable's first choice. Paul Cole races Pink Symphony, who holds many big-race entries and she should be watched closely in the betting as she may be good enough to strike first time out.

The final race on the card is a punter's nightmare, a 26-runner handicap over 5f. The draw will play a big part so it may pay to be drawn high. In truth, it looks so difficult to solve and stakes should be kept to a minimum. Indian Trail, Rocker, Le Toreador and Mandurah have all been running well in these type of races all season and in-form sprinters should not be ignored. One which is interesting is Northern Bolt, drawn in 22 and trained by sprint-king Dandy Nicholls. He hasn't been running too badly recently but one positive can be gleaned from one piece of form from last season where he finished third at Doncaster in a field on 20. He may prefer larger fields and is sure to be a big price.

Selections (10 point wallet) -

2:10 - Mirrored - 1 pt win at 4/1.

2:45 - Borderlescott - 3 pt win at 3/1.

3:25 - Askar Tau - 1 pt e/w at 11/2.

4:00 - Starfala - 1 pt win at 9/2.

4:35 - Brae Hill - 1 pt win at 6/1.

5:10 - Water Biscuit - 1 pt win at 3/1.
- Pink Symphony - 0.5 pt e/w at 10/1.

5:45 - Northern Bolt - 0.5 pt e/1 at 25/1.