ITV Racing Tips: Can Escobar reign Supreme at Goodwood on Sunday?
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There’s something for everyone on ITV this Sunday, with Ladbrokes-sponsored flat racing from Goodwood and summer National Hunt racing from Perth.
The Group 3 Supreme Stakes featuring the likes of D’bai and Happy Power is the feature renewal on the Sussex Downs, while all eyes will be on the ultra-competitive Perth Gold Cup in Scotland.
It’s all set up to be another fascinating afternoon of action, and we’ve previewed the headline contests in our ITV Racing Tips.
RACE OF THE DAY – LADBROKES SUPREME STAKES – GOODWOOD, 15:35
Seven runners are pencilled in for the Group 3 Ladbrokes Supreme Stakes, and while market favourite D’bai makes plenty of appeal for Charlie Appleby, it could be worth sticking with old favourite Escobar over 7f.
David O’Meara’s charge ran no sort of race to finish a tailed-off seventh in the Duke of York Stakes at the Ebor Festival last week, but his run immediately prior to that suggests he may be a tad overpriced for this.
The six-year-old was only narrowly touched off over course and distance by subsequent Prix Maurice De Gheest winner Space Blues in the Lennox Stakes; a race where D’bai could only finish in sixth.
D’bai himself holds market rivals Happy Power and Snazzy Jazzy on their form this term, which suggests Escobar could be the fly in the ointment, especially if the ground comes up good.
NEXT BEST – PERTH GOLD CUP – PERTH, 15:15
Winners of the Perth Gold Cup tend to follow a number of significant form trends. Firstly, they tend to come from near the top of the market, with five of the last six entering the winner’s enclosure at 7/1 or shorter.
Secondly, it’s useful for them to have raced around Perth before, and thirdly each of the last three winners to have landed the odds in this 3m contest have done so as a 10-year-old.
That leads us onto Imada, who conforms to all of those form trends and even more importantly is running for a trainer in Nicky Richards whose yard is in red-hot form at the current moment in time.
As of Friday, the Cumbria-based handler was operating at a 38% strike-rate across the last fortnight, firing in a hat-trick of favourites at Market Rasen, Stratford and Cartmel.
Imada is also likely to be well-supported in the market following his 15l win on reappearance at Bangor last month, and if he can handle a hike in the weights, he should be bang there at the finish.
Recent Southwell scorer As You Like rates as the main danger in the green and gold of JP McManus, while veteran stayer The Young Master could be interesting after a wind-operation.
ONE TO WATCH – EXTRA PLACES HANDICAP – GOODWOOD, 14:25
Chairmanoftheboard has won twice this term and looks set for another big effort here after escaping a rise from the handicapper following his impressive fifth-placed finish over course and distance in the Stewards’ Cup.
Mick Channon’s raider had only the winner in front of him in his group of runners earlier this month, and in what is proving to be an ultra-consistent season for the four-year-old, he should take the beating here.
Atalanta’s Boy was well beaten in the same race at Glorious Goodwood but has won twice over course and distance at this venue, while Woven and Alaadel will also hope to make an impression.
SUNDAY 30TH AUGUST, ITV RACING SCHEDULE
13:50 Goodwood – Ladbrokes Best Odds Guaranteed Fillies’ Handicap
14:05 Perth – Novices’ Handicap Chase
14:25 Goodwood – Ladbrokes Giving Extra Places Every Day Handicap
14:40 Perth – bet365 Handicap Hurdle
15:00 Goodwood – Ladbrokes Get Your Daily Odds Boost Handicap
15:15 Perth – Perth Gold Cup
15:35 Goodwood – Ladbrokes Supreme Stakes (Group 3)
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
