Goodwood May Festival Day 3: Moon shines - and so do Observer tips

Sea Moon survived a big scare to win the Tapster Stakes on the final day of Goodwood's May festival - helping make it another good day for punters who follow our tips on this website.

The Sir Michael Stoute star was one of three winners tipped on this site on Saturday morning - giving 10 wins from 21 races over the three days, an impressive strike rate.

But Ryan Moore had it far from all his own way on the 2/7 favourite, whose record of third place in last year’s St Leger and a Breeders’ Cup Turf runner-up spot frightened off plenty of potential rivals to leave a field of just four.

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Moore set off at a sedate pace, with Cill Rialaig for company, and the Hughie Morrison-trained mare proved hard to shake off and was upsides three furlongs out.

But Moore, on the Khalid Abdullah-owned colt, was soon back in control, only for Dandino to pose a serious challenge in the Southern Daily Echo-sponsored race.

Hayley Turner’s mount looked to head the market leader over a furlong out, but Sea Moon battled back for a head success.

Trainer Stoute said: “He’s just needed the workout. We were ready to run at Chester andhad been hanging about a bit and he’s got a bit buzzy. He’s won and that’s good. He’s got a whole lot of entries and the Hardwicke [at Royal Ascot] will be his next engagement.”

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The triumph made it a double for Moore, who had earlier taken the EBF Anthony Simmons Maiden Stakes (Sponsored By Telecom UK) on the Richard Hannon-trained debutant Mister Marc (7-2) - also tipped by the Observer.

Hannon also saddled Sputnik Sweetheart (7-2) to victory in the Brighton Argus Maiden Fillies’ Stakes to complete our treble and make it eight wins in the final two days of the successful festival.

The 32Red.com Handicap saw a battle royale between Life And Soul and Grumeti, with the former prevailing by a short head.

Pulborough trainer Amanda Perrett’s five-year-old Life And Soul (7-1) was soon in front for Turner, but she had to hold off a big challenge from Grumeti.

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Jet Away, another in the Abdullah colours, was a comfortable winner of the 32Red Festival Stakes under Tom Queally.

A step up in trip and return to a quicker surface did the trick as Grandeur (4-1 joint-favourite) claimed the 32Red Casino Handicap under William Buick, still in great form the day after taking the Casco Cocked Hat Stakes with Michelangelo.

Jamie Osborne’s Beat The Bell (14-1) kept on strongly down the centre of the track to score in the Hampshire Chronicle Handicap, beating 7-2 joint-favourite My Kingdom by three-quarters of a length.

See all the reaction and pictures from the festival - and Goodwood MD Adam Waterworth’s Diary from the Downs - in the Observer on Thursday.

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