A Soft Autumn Day On The Downs

Well now. Goodwood in late September — there's a bittersweet quality to it, isn't there? The season's winding down, the ground's gone soft underfoot, and you can almost smell the jumps season creeping over the horizon. Not that I'm complaining, mind. As a man who spends most of his winter trackside at Cheltenham and Leopardstown, I'll confess the flat still has its charms when the card's worth a look — and today's Goodwood racecard was a decent enough afternoon's work for a Friday.

The going came up Soft, Good to Soft in places, with improvement expected towards Good to Soft as the day wore on. That's the kind of ground that separates the stayers from the stayers — if you follow me — and it played a significant role in shaping the afternoon, particularly in those mile-and-six-furlong contests that bookended the card. Soft ground at Goodwood's undulating track is no place for a horse with a suspect temperament or a trainer who hasn't done their homework. Thankfully, there were a few handlers today who clearly had.

The Feature Race: Christopher Ward Watchmaking Handicap (16:18)

If you're asking me which race had me leaning forward on my stool, it was the Christopher Ward Watchmaking Handicap Stakes over six furlongs — a Class 3 worth £15,000 and loaded with course-and-distance form. Eleven runners, ten of them carrying the [D] flag for course-and-distance experience, which tells you this was a race for horses who know their way around the Sussex Downs.

Bobby Bennu (Jack Mitchell, rated 94) came in as the top-rated runner and, on soft ground at a track he clearly adores, he was the one to beat. Mitchell's a tidy operator and he wouldn't have been taking this booking lightly. Right alongside him in the market, Storm Free (Hector Crouch, rated 93) — now there's a horse who's been knocking on the door. Crouch had a busy afternoon today and he's the sort of young jockey who thrives when he gets a book of rides on a card like this. He picks up information from each race and by the time the big one comes around, he's already got the pulse of the ground.

Aurora Majesty (Pierre-Louis Jamin, rated 92) was the one I'd have been watching each-way. Jamin doesn't ride at every track going, so when he makes the trip to Goodwood, you sit up and pay attention. The French lads tend to have a good feel for undulating tracks — something about the way they're schooled, I reckon — and Aurora Majesty on soft ground over six furlongs looked like a proper each-way shout to me.

Yorkshire (Daniel Tudhope, rated 91) is another I'd keep firmly onside. Tudhope's a man who wastes no energy in the saddle, very still and very effective, and he had four runners on the card today which suggests connections across the yard were keen on the ground. If Yorkshire ran a big race here, don't be surprised to see him pop up in a Listed contest before the season's out.

Ones To Follow: The Horses That Caught The Eye

Right, this is the bit you came for. Pull up a chair.

  • My Ballyquinn (Daniel Tudhope, rated 89) — The 16:50 By Eck It's Boddingtons Handicap over a mile and six was a small but select field, and My Ballyquinn was the one I had onside from the off. Course-and-distance form, Tudhope in the saddle, and soft ground that absolutely plays to his stamina profile. This is a horse that could be campaigned in a staying handicap at one of the autumn Flat festivals — think Ascot's Long Distance Cup day or even a winter Flat card at Lingfield if connections want to keep him ticking over.
  • Asia Force (Sam James, rated 88) — Sam James was another jockey who had a full book today, and Asia Force in the same staying handicap carries the course-and-distance flag proudly. If this one ran well on the soft, file the name away. A mile six on testing ground is a very specific talent and horses that have it tend to keep finding opportunities late in the season and into the all-weather winter campaign.
  • Thebesthasyetocome (M.P. Sheehy, rated 81) — Lovely name, and in the 14:33 Nursery Handicap, this two-year-old was the one that intrigued me most. Nursery handicaps at this time of year are fertile ground for finding progressive types, and a rating of 81 with what looks like room to improve is exactly the profile you want. Keep an eye on where this one goes next — a step up in trip could unlock something.
  • Lunar Storm (Sean Levey) — In the fillies' novice at 15:08, with twelve runners and plenty of unrated debutantes, Levey's booking always catches the eye. He's not a man who takes rides for the sake of it, and Lunar Storm had the feel of a filly with a future. Novice form in September can be deceptive, but if she showed any ability today, she's one to follow into next season's three-year-old campaign.
  • Grand Havana (Sean Levey) — Levey doubled up in the colts' novice at 15:43, and Grand Havana was my pick of that field. Six furlongs on soft ground for a first-time-out colt is a real test of character, and if he handled it well, there's every chance connections will be aiming at something more prestigious before the year is done.

The Apprentice Race & The Staying Closer

The opener — the EITC Training Series Final over a mile and two furlongs — was a lovely bit of theatre for those of us who enjoy watching the next generation find their feet. Ablon (Ben Pollard, rated 70) was the top-rated runner and Pollard is a name I've been hearing more and more from people whose opinions I respect. The apprentice scene on the flat is a bit like bumper racing for me — you're watching raw talent try to express itself, and occasionally something special emerges from the chaos.

Pleasant Man (Joe Bradnam, rated 69) was another I had a soft spot for — the course-and-distance form [C] is a real advantage in an apprentice race where tactical awareness can be limited. When a horse knows the track, it can compensate for a young rider still learning their craft.

And then the card closed out with the Turf Services Handicap over a mile and six — a Class 5 with fourteen runners and the feel of a cavalry charge. Velvet Whisper (Hector Crouch, rated 70) and Percy Jones (Paddy Bradley, rated 70) shared top billing, but in a race like this on soft ground with a big field, anything can happen. Circuit Breaker (Cieren Fallon, rated 68) was the one I'd have been watching — Fallon junior has his father's instinct for a pace scenario, and a mile and six on soft ground is exactly the kind of race where reading the tempo early can be worth several lengths.

Final Thoughts: A Decent Day's Work At The Glorious Goodwood

Look, it's not the Cheltenham Festival. It's not even the Galway Races. But a soft-ground Friday card at Goodwood in late September has its own quiet charm, and today delivered a few performances worth filing away for future reference. The staying handicaps were the heart of the card, the novice races gave us some names to track into next season, and the apprentice opener reminded us that racing's future is always being written somewhere down the card.

Keep My Ballyquinn, Thebesthasyetocome, and Grand Havana in your notebooks. And if Aurora Majesty runs well in the feature, she could be the value play of the autumn. Check the full results and racecard breakdown over on the Goodwood racecard page and we'll have more detailed form analysis up over the weekend.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've a jumps card to study. Sanity, at last.