Glorious Goodwood - Thoroughbred Stakes

2.35 Goodwood

RSA Thoroughbred Stakes (Listed) (Class 1)  (3YO only)

Winner £17,013

Pick: Western Aristocrat (win)

Tazahum: Improved on debut winning form when a well beaten second behind Dubawi Gold (has been vastly improved since then) & reappeared with impressive handicap win; Bettered that form when winning Heron Stakes (shaped as if he’d stay well) & not disgraced in strong Group 3 at Royal Ascot, when he was too keen to help himself; 4lbs penalty off-putting but should still go well.

Chef: Built on promising debut win and seasonal reappearance when tight winner of Doncaster handicap over this trip and better when fourth despite being slow to come out of stalls in Newmarket sales race;  Might do better.

Neebras: 2 efforts (in good listed race and then when game fourth in St James’s Palace behind Zoffany) give him an excellent chance and Preix Jean Prat was a strong renewal this year (as shown by Strong Suit’s easy Group 2 win earlier in the week); Can go well but slightly vulnerable and may not reproduce best form to the pound. 

Questioning: Got up late to justify good support on debut in maiden (AW; 1m) and would have been much closer in one of strongest sales races run last season had he been given a clear passage; Similar form this term when fourth in very good Group 2 in France but slightly disappointing he couldn’t come back and win Newmarket sales race last time; Drop back in trip might not aid him.

Slim Shadey: Held his form well over the majority of last season, coming second in a Listed contest at Newbury before a fourth in a big sales race; Ran well above his odds in Guineas but not matched that form since.

Trade Storm: Posted subsequent career best on all three starts this season before stumbling at stalls and losing race at Start in big mile handicap last time; Not hard to make a case for him on his Brittannia fifth, but others still taken.

Vanguard Dream: Three from three (maiden, novice and nursery) and looked to be going places as a juvenile to disappointing to see him struggle a lot in his races this season. 

Western Aristocrat: Made a most promising start when winning 7f Newmarket maiden last autumn & looked a colt with big future when overcoming trouble in running to win Haydock handicap on return; Probably a bit immature at Ascot when another furlong would have helped; Gets that today and should not be far away at all.

VERDICT: Tazahum and Neebras both set a good standard with a suitable assignment given to them but the potential of WESTERN ARTISTOCRAT, who needed another furlong at Royal Ascot but gets one today and could be more grown up now too.