Mount Athos to boost favourites’ strike rate at Glorious Goodwood
Published:The Goodwood Cup headlines the third day of Glorious Goodwood. Here’s a horse to follow in each of the four Channel 4 races…
Red Avenger finished over six lengths clear of 4/1 favourite Code of Honor when they went hoof to hoof over 1m in May and looked to have more to give, yet the handicap has shifted further in his favour.
Jockey Ryan Moore has two winners at this year’s festival already and a great record riding for Ed Dunlop in 2013, winning nine times in 31 outings. Encouragingly, that ratio is an even healthier six in 17 on three-year-olds.
The lethal Richard Hannon and Richard Hughes combination provided the Richmond Stakes winner in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Even in surrendering that streak last year, Master of War finished second by half a length.
Thunder Strike is their entry this time and has disappointed on his last two runs after coming to prominence with three impressive victories, but has only lost to Miracle of Medinah from this field.
The market leader has rewarded its backers in four of the last five runnings of the Goodwood Cup and Mount Athos has a strong chance of continuing that trend despite an unfavourable draw.
The six-year-old has seen off Brown Panther and Cavalryman when they’ve clashed in the past and has triumphed on two of the past three occasions that he was saddled by Jamie Spencer.
In a nod to Tom Queally’s past success in this race working for the much-missed Sir Henry Cecil, his mount Wild Coco is the evens favourite, however, Souviens Toi is the standout performer.
Imported from Italy after three wins in four runs last autumn, the four-year-old has been in the picture in all three of her English showings this year and, is the same age as the past four winners.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
