Goodwood’s bank holiday racing: Big-race lowdown – and tips for Friday evening
Goodwood’s biggest race outside of Glorious week looks like being a cracker.
The £200,000 Celebration Mile has attracted some high-class entries and is set to live up to its billing as the centrepiece of three days of bank holiday weekend action on the Downs.
There’s racing on Friday evening and on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and the Group 2 mile race – at 3.10pm on Saturday – had 17 contenders ahead of today’s final declarations.
Goodwood director of racing Ed Arkell said they were delighted with the quality and quantity of entries for the Celebration Miles and across the weekend.
“We’re looking forward to three days of good racing,” Arkell said. “The track has recovered well since the Qatar Festival although the grounds team have had to carry on working hard with watering.
“The Celebration Mile should be a great race, including one or two runners who have done well here before.”
Saturday's feature, the Group 2 Virgin Bet Celebration Mile, looks set for a fiercely competitive renewal should some of the current 17 entries stand their ground at the confirmation stage.
Run over a mile and worth £200,000 in prize money, the contest pits proven course performers against an exciting crop of three-year-olds and promises a fascinating clash to headline the opening day.
Eve Johnson Houghton's stable star ZAVATERI holds an entry and would be a huge draw should connections elect to run. A Group 1 winner, the popular colt landed the National Stakes at the Curragh as a juvenile before sustaining a setback which ruled him out for much of this season.
He has returned with consistent efforts against the very best milers in the top races including 5th in the Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes.
SEAGULLS ELEVEN adds further Group-race interest for Hugo Palmer. A multiple black-type performer with strong course-and-distance credentials, he has proved himself a reliable competitor at this level and boasts the sort of form that makes him a live player in a competitive renewal.
BOILING POINT is a familiar and popular runner at Goodwood for Karl Burke. The five-year-old landed the Cambridgeshire off top weight last autumn and struck again at this year's May Festival, and is joined among the older brigade by Julie Camacho's NAQEEB, a Listed winner at the course last season and a half-brother to the brilliant Baaeed and Chasemore Farm's mare ARISAIG, all adding depth to what promises to be a thrilling afternoon on the Sussex Downs.
Sunday's card shifts the focus towards the season's emerging juvenile fillies, with the Group 3 Virgin Bet Prestige Fillies' Stakes providing an important seven-furlong test for two-year-olds with black-type aspirations.
Worth £100,000 in prize money, the contest has long held a reputation as an informative late-summer trial and this year's 14 entries once again feature several promising prospects.
NUIT D'ECLAIR heads the entries on official ratings for Kevin Philippart De Foy. The daughter of Night Of Thunder made a winning start at Newbury before running with credit in Group 3 company at Ascot last time, and the Amo Racing-owned filly looks a leading player as she bids for a first success at this level.
Karl Burke's LIGHT OF DAWN is another towards the head of the entries. Representing Wathnan Racing, she has shown a consistently smart level of form and would relish the step up to Group 3 company.
COAXED could provide one of the more intriguing runners for John and Thady Gosden. A Cheveley Park Stud homebred, the once-raced winner is out of Queen Elizabeth II Stakes heroine Persuasive and became the very first winner for her sire, the mighty Baaeed, when making a striking debut at Kempton. She remains open to significant improvement.
Richard Hannon's APEROLL brings a progressive profile having won last time out, and Mrs John Harrington's APOLLO'S COMET could add an Irish challenge, with Michael Bell's BAYSIDE VIEW further strengthening the entry.
The field is completed by EABHA for Eve Johnson Houghton, Sir Mark Prescott's MARTINET, Charlie Johnston's unbeaten REDLINE and Ed Walker's SIENA STORM.
Across the weekend at Goodwood, there will be great racing, superb hospitality and family fun - the August Bank Holiday festival presented by Virgin Bet is the perfect way to spend the long weekend as Goodwood comes alive with entertainment for all the family, with under-18s going free.
Across Friday to Sunday, racegoers can experience the beautiful surroundings of the racecourse with trips to the start and enjoy complimentary family activities, from magicians to face painting. In addition, there’s the vintage fairground and live music that will set the summer tone for a memorable bank holiday.
On Friday gates open at 3.30pm with racing commencing at 4.35pm, while on Saturday and Sunday entry is from 11.30am with the first race at 1.25pm.
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Virgin Bet is adding a few extra touches to the Saturday of Goodwood’s meeting, with a series of experiences designed to make the day even more memorable for racegoers.
Goodwood operates shuttle buses to help racegoers complete their journey to and from the venue, but this Saturday, Virgin Bet is giving some passengers a reason to enjoy the journey as much as the destination.
The Each Way Express, Virgin Bet's branded VIP shuttle service, will connect Chichester station with the racecourse, with selected racegoers treated to a fun-filled journey complete with Virgin Bet goodie bags and a few surprises along the way.
Virgin Bet's commitment to the race day experience extends beyond simply transporting racegoers to and from Goodwood. Through its partnership with WalkSafe, the UK’s leading personal safety app, the two brands are moving beyond traditional sponsorship to put personal safety at the heart of the race day experience.
From helping racegoers plan safer routes to and from events, to features such as real-time journey sharing, the partnership aims to help people feel more confident throughout their journey and get home safely.
Once at Goodwood, there's even more for racegoers to enjoy. Virgin Bet app users can make the most of the brand's ‘Queue Jump’, giving them access to a dedicated fast-track queue at the Sussex Bar. Everyone attending can also stop by the Virgin Bet horsebox photo booth for a souvenir photo from the day.
This activity reflects Virgin Bet's commitment to rewarding customers with exceptional rewards. From betting promotions and exclusive offers across the wider Virgin family to standout experiences, like The Each Way Express, the brand is committed to giving customers more while ensuring betting remains safe and fun.
Virgin Bet is guided by its brand mission, “A Good Bet,” meaning every bet should be both exciting and rewarding no matter the outcome, while players stay in control and bet responsibly.
Dominic Vye, Marketing Director, Virgin Bet, said: “Rewarding our customers is at the heart of what we do at Virgin Bet, so we wanted to use Goodwood as an opportunity to think a little differently about the race day experience. Rather than focusing on one moment, we've looked at the day as a whole and built experiences around the parts we know matter most to our customers. It's a great example of how we bring A Good Bet to life, by rewarding our customers beyond the bet itself, while always making sure betting stays safe and responsible.”
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Goodwood Friday racing preview
There are six races across the evening at Goodwood on Friday; a maiden and five handicaps. Read on for a preview of and tips for the Goodwood card, brought to you by BOYLE Sports, who have all the horse racing odds.
Up first is a six-furlong two-year-old maiden fillies’ race (16.35). With a valuable prize, this should be a warm race despite having a small six-runner field. Gobby Grace is the sole newcomer; a daughter of Wootton Bassett with a good pedigree and a high purchase price. Her opponents here are able but none are stand-out at this stage. Motown Filly is the best at present.
The second race is a 10-furlong fillies’ handicap (17.10). Blue Noon is able at this mark and could factor, while Kokoluna has gone well at this track in the past and is on a possible mark here. Oasis Sunrise is hard to ignore here, having gone well on testing tracks before and on an attractive mark with a three-pound claimer taking the ride.
A mile and a half fillies’ handicap is our third race (17.45). Kissmehoneyhoney is the topweight and her sole start at this track was her worst to date. Mother Dear, by contrast, is already a winner here and could better off in the weights. She also has the inside draw, which could help her over this trip. Liveinthelight could get involved too.
Race four is a five-furlong handicap (18.20). Brave Nation was a winner last time out, while Velvet Goldmine has placed twice in maiden and novice company and wears a hood for her handicap debut, which could be good. Silver Wraith must be considered, thorough, now on a good-looking mark after a solid run here in a valuable handicap over the Goodwood festival.
Second to last is a six-furlong handicap (18.55). Ararat could be on a winnable mark now, while Raffles Angel was below form last time and could go better here today. Northcliff is in good form but might find this mark a bit tricky. That said, he has been rising to the challenge lately and Tom Marquand in the saddle is a possible interesting indication.
Finally we have a nine-furlong amateur jockeys’ handicap (19.28). Beach Point is on a new low mark and has a nice draw in two, so might be a factor here. Gone Rogue has taken something a step forward recently and might keep improving here, while Show Biz Kid looks attractively weighted and can handle undulating tracks well.
Goodwood selections - Friday:
16.35 - Gobby Grace
17.10 - Oasis Sunrise e/w
17.45 - Mother Dear
18.20 - Silver Wraith
18.55 - Ararat
19.28 - Show Biz Kid