Beckett’s Promoter looks box office in Goodwood opener
IT’S ANYONE’S guess what the ground will be like ahead of the opening Kincsem Handicap (1.50pm) today, but it’s almost certain that it’s going to be hard work.
It looks a very tricky puzzle to solve, but I think I’ve found one who ticks plenty of boxes in the form of PROMOTER.
Ralph Beckett is a real dab hand at improving horses hand over fist and I’m confident his inmate will prove a lot better than a mark of 89.
He was last seen when running on for fifth in a handicap on Derby day and that race has worked out remarkably well, with the second, third and sixth winning since, while the winner, Torito, finished a close-up fourth in the Group Three Hampton Court at Royal Ascot.
It was a performance that can also be marked up as it came on good-to-firm ground and he should be seen in an even better light on a softer surface here.
I can see him being really well-backed, and going off much shorter than the current 12/1 that’s available.
He’s the main selection, but I’ll throw a couple of others in a World Pool Quinella as plenty in here have solid claims.
The first is PERFUSE, who looks a perfectly solid favourite.
He didn’t get home over 1m4f at Royal Ascot last time, so the step back in trip looks a wise move and his pedigree suggests he will turn out to be a fair bit better than a mark of 94.
The other I like the look of is Richard Fahey’s HAVE SECRET.
He’s run really well in two hot handicaps this year and has form on soft ground, so won’t mind the likely testing conditions.
POINTERS
Promoter e/w 1.50pm Goodwood
Perfuse, Promoter, Have Secret
(World Pool Quinella) 1.50pm Goodwood