Good Morning, Friend,

I've had three EW dabbles today at Glorious Goodwood...

1.40 - Dream Composer - 8/1 - EW 4p

1.40 - Whenthedeadlinsdone - 10/1 - EW 4p

2.50 - Outbreak - 14/1-16/1 - EW 5p

We kick off with the opening sprint handicap on the card. The ground should still have some juice in it I hope, which will suit these two. With no rain forecast and a bright day, a chance it dries out, or will it become tacky, and even more unpredictable?! Time will tell.

Dream Composer - a course winner earlier in the season, doing it a shade cosily, as he did at Sandown two starts back. They were efforts to suggest there's still room in this mark. I don't know what happened at Ascot, and if he's in that form here, evidently won't be sighted. However, he was mounted in the chute, taken down early, fell out the stalls, then appeared a bit lit up and drifted away from the action. It was also a fairly quick return, so hopefully a run to put a line through and a return here sees him bounce back. His form has a solid look to it and the yard continue in decent form, 0/7,4p last 14 days, 76% rivals beaten. They're 3/10,6p at the course, this horse 2/6,4p. There doesn't appear much pace on paper but he's near the two who could go forward (Bedford Flyer/Designer). If he's back to his best there, he just has to be in the mix and I thought 8s a shade generous, esp given that course form and his previously progressive profile.

Whenthedeadlinsdone - this one could need more luck in running, depending on how Oisin decides to ride him. I'm just going to ignore Ascot in 1st blinkers- if they weren't the reason for his below par run, then again, he won't be sighted either. Having won at this meeting in 2021, over the CD, it's not impossible this has been a plan and he is looking chucked in now, if/when rediscovering some form. His last win was off this mark at Ascot, when hacking up. He finished last season with a solid 3rd at Donny in heavy, drawn the wrong side, chasing home two 3YOs receiving weight, but finished like a horse who's mark wasn't beyond him- and that was off 8lb higher, 98. So, hopefully today is the day. He likes to get his toe in, his regular CP return, and they're trying a 1st tongue tie also. Roger Teal has hit a bit of form, 2/12, 4p last 14 days, 0/16,1p the 16 days before that. Oisin is 1/2, +21 when getting the leg up for them. The horse ran behind Dream Composer on seasonal return here and now gets a chunky weight swing - IF he runs to his very best, and gets some luck if behind horses, he just has to run a monster race here, surely?! At 11s I'll have a dabble to find out. Given his mark/previous form, do add him into the trackers whatever he does here- unless he's gone at the game, he just has to pop up when soft or worse at some point this season.

Outbreak - another for the tracker whatever he does here - the niggle is that he may want better ground but at 14s I'll roll the dice and hope this has dried out a bit come his race.

If he flounders, I suspect it will be the ground, but it looked loose enough when winning at Newmarket earlier in the season.

The initial 'way in' was Mark Johnston's record in this race. Charlie now has the licence of course but I can't think too much has changed, certainly when targeting this race. Mark had won this x6 in recent years, all winners sent off 14/1 or shorter... (so here's hoping he doesn't lose a leg)... with such types in this race, he was 6/20,10p, +58SP. Hopefully Charlie builds on those stats in the seasons ahead. They're the sort of stats where you should probably just back their runners blind in this. The odd one at bigger prices has placed and they do best with the 4YOs. Since taking over the licence, Charlie is 6/18,7p +8 at Goodwood, not bad.

Back to the horse... i'd like to think they've waited to step him up to 10f on turf for this week/this race. He won over 8f as a 2YO and is related to some stayers. He went very close on the AW at Lingfield over 10f, travelling like a dream, as he did when winning at Newmarket earlier in the season ,but over 8f. He looks a brute of a galloper and the contention is that he's just lacked the pace the last twice over 8f, in big field races run at proper gallops. In saying that his Newbury run wasn't too bad and he did keep on at the one pace, holding his position, just lacking the gears. So, a step up to 10f 'could' be transformative - i'm sure it will be at some point on turf, just whether today and how he copes with the ground. He's drawn in a good spot, esp as he can get out and hopefully sit handy, behind the handful who could get on with it. I suspect he'll leave behind this mark at some point and he looks well weighted here. If the ground is fine and he runs his race, i'll be disappointed if he's not thereabouts. Andrea has ridden him on his last 7 starts and will no doubt be desperate for winners this week, as I believe he's off to Hong Kong soon.

I will mention Pride of America, who I missed at York when winning that monster pot for Amy and his owners. I can cheer him on here and maybe he can defy the rise and lugging this big weight, I'm not sure. You'd like to think something better treated but he'll give it a good go from a handy position and will keep galloping. Who or what will overhaul him in the final furlong...

I should mention the fav also, the Haggas horse will waltz home from this mark if/when rediscovering his French Derby form. He could just be regressive of course but didn't run badly at York, first run in some time. I suspect he's come on bundles for that, and may look 7/2 look big, but not for me, esp if held onto also, as he could need some luck. He'll relish the ground though and I suspect won't be too far away.

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As always, do with those musings as you please.

My next task is to take a look at tomorrow's Galway Plate trends, which I plan to put up on the blog asap - so if they're of any interest, stop by after midday, where I hope they'll be up, along with any shortlist, and trainers list etc

GL with any bets,

All the best,

Josh