30th-Jul-2021

I am backing Maydanny here.  A winner over 10 furlongs at this meeting last year, Maydanny ran well on his debut this season to finish second to Bell Rock in a Newmarket handicap and, after disappointing at Ascot in the Royal Hunt Cup, he bounced back with a fine performance last time to finish second to Magical Morning in a one-mile handicap at Sandown.

He led from early that day, he was just run down close home by Magical Morning, but he has every chance of exacting his revenge on that rival today on 6lb better terms.  He is back down to his mark of 100, while John and Thady Gosden’s horse has to race under a 3lb penalty.

As well as that, the return to Goodwood is a positive for Maydanny, he is one for one there.

He stays 10 furlongs, so Jim Crowley can be aggressive on him and, in one of the biggest ‘draw’ races on the calendar, he is well drawn in stall five.  He was withdrawn on Tuesday because of the soft ground, but the ground is much better now than it was then, it is good, good to soft in places, and that should be fine for him. 

I was tempted by old friend Escobar, he loves Goodwood and his draw in stall nine is acceptable, but they only had 3.6mm of rain overnight.  If they had had a little more, I would have got him on side too.

MAYDANNY WON (ADV 10/1, SP 8/1)