Shadow Dance
Shadow Dance stayed on nicely to finish ninth in the 10-furlong handicap that opened proceedings at Goodwood on Tuesday. Settled at the back of the field through the early part of the race, he was still 15th of the 18 runners passing the three-furlong marker. He tried to chart a way through horses from the two-furlong marker, and he did run on, but he didn't really have a clear path and he ran into a little bit of a cul de sac close home. Even so, the winner Westridge went clear, but Shadow Dance got to within three lengths of the runner-up Naqeeb.
This was a fine run by Roger Varian's horse on his belated seasonal return, his first run since last September and over a distance that was shorter than ideal for him. He did well to get as close as he did from the rear in a race in which four of the first five home were prominent from early. The Almanzar gelding is five now, but he is really lightly raced for his age. This was just his 10th run. The Ebor was mentioned as a plan for him earlier in the season and, winner of a 12-furlong handicap at last year's Ebor meeting on his only run to date at York, that looks like a legitimate target. From the family of Pride and Speciosa and a half-brother Sassifrassi, who won over a mile and a half, and to bumper winner Hazy Glen, who has also won over two miles and three furlongs over hurdles, he stays a mile and a half well, and he could improve for the step up to a mile and six furlongs. This could set him up nicely for the Ebor.
Goodwood, 29th July 2025
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