Glorious Goodwood 2011 - Vintage Stakes

2.35 Goodwood

Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1)  (2YO only)

Winner £34,026

Pick: Chandlery (win)

Red Duke: No improvement required on fairly strong debut third to Misty Conquest (pitched into Conditions company first time out) when winning maiden at Redcar but impressive in Superlative Stakes, which is best form in this field; Will need to find more to confirm form but progressive.

Chandlery: Ran on gamely and made a good impression on debut when beating better fancied stablemate Coupe de Ville a short head at Goodwood & ran respectably in Coventry Stakes; Beaten by Red Duke in the Superlative Stakes but is now 3lbs better off with winner and pick of Richard Hughes so must be respected.

Elkahart: Respectable placings on first pair of starts, the second when well behind Rockinate (who opposes) and then used that experience to good effect when winning easily last time out; Can go well.

Lethal Force: Bumped into one with experience when second to North Star Boy but didn’t seem to have learned merit of that when causing interference and being demoted (headed last stride) here last time and Coventry fourth; Big player on that evidence.

Minal: Took 5 runs to break maiden (admittedly showed good attitude on most occasions) but seems well held by stablemates, as he’s far down the pecking order and needs a lot more to win here.

Red Seventy: Took his time but got there will plenty so spare over stablemate Minal (reopposes) and impressive when beating another stablemate with a lot in hand; While he shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand others from stable can take a higher hand.

Rockinante: Made a deep impression when only horse when to come from off pace on debut, winning useful maiden with plenty in hand; Can go very well with that behind him, especially if avoiding a flat spot. 

VERDICT: Richard Hannon has four of the runners here but he won’t have it all his own way thanks to Coventry fourth Lethal Force & Superlative Stakes winner Red Duke. He may still win this year thanks to CHANDLERY, who enjoys a 3lbs pull with the latter from their Newmarket meeting, and he just gets the vote over Rockinante.