Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle discusses her ride on leading Molecomb contender Eddie’s Boy, plus four other chances on day two of the Goodwood Festival on Wednesday.
Fast Eddie ready for step up in class
The Group Three Markel Molecomb Stakes (3.00) pitches together some of the fastest two-year-olds in training, including my mount Eddie’s Boy – my best chance on day two of the Qatar Goodwood Festival.
Archie Watson’s colt is certainly ready to step into this grade after creating a big impression in the Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury earlier this month when he made every yard of the running up against the stands rail.
We’re drawn on the wing in stall one which wouldn’t suit some horses but isn’t a bad starting position for him as he prefers plenty of racing room. Irish raider Studio City will break next to us in stall two and showed a lot of early speed when dominating a Navan maiden so could just keep us company deep into the race.
Now rated 100, Eddie’s Boy also has some unfinished business with George Scott’s leading contender Rocket Rodney, who finished ahead of us in the Listed Dragon Stakes and the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot.
I have no doubt about his credentials for such a hot race as long as he handles this undulating track, which presents a very different test to Newbury and the stiff finishes at Ascot and Sandown before that.
Eddie’s Boy and Doyle (left) on their way to winning at Newbury
Can history repeat itself with Rousay?
I won the European Breeders Fund EBF Fillies’ Stakes (4.10) on Billesdon Bess as a 3lb claimer for my old boss Richard Hannon and owners Pell Mell Partners in 2017 so I’d love to see history repeat itself this year.
I’m on their filly Rousay who has run some nice races this season without getting her head in front and could just prove well handicapped off a mark of 83 as she’s still unexposed over 10 furlongs.
Her first try at the trip at Salisbury last time was encouraging. She was beaten less than two lengths that day, doing her best work in the closing stages behind a winner who just got away.
Doyle finished third in Tuesday’s Goodwood Cup on Trueshan (blue cup)
Opening handicap a good test for Surrey
The Coral Beaten-By-A-Length Free Bet Handicap (1.50) over a mile and a half at Goodwood will be a good test of Surrey Mist’s progress.
He’s run respectably twice off his current mark at Ascot, notably when beaten only two and a half lengths in the King George V Stakes at the Royal Meeting.
George Baker’s three-year-old ran on willingly that day behind Godolphin’s Secret State, who will be a worthy favourite in pursuit of a four-timer but is 7lb worse off with us in this competitive handicap, so I’m hopeful of a good run.
Surrey Mist (middle) finished fourth at Ascot earlier this month
Lot to like about speedy Asad
For a horse who has spent much of his career racing over seven furlongs, I was surprised how much natural speed Mick Appleby’s Asad showed when I finished second on him in a Windsor sprint in June.
I’m hoping that high cruising speed will be very much in his favour on this track as he returns to his familiar trip in the World Pool Handicap (5.20).
We’re drawn a little wide in stall nine which shouldn’t be a negative as he doesn’t have to race prominently as we saw when he finished second over seven furlongs at Haydock in May after starting slowly.
Earlier in the afternoon, I’m hoping the fast five furlongs could prove ideal for Full Prime but she has a lot to find at the weights in the British EBF Alice Keppel Fillies’ Conditions Stakes (4.45).
Tom Ward’s 73-rated filly drops back in distance after what looked a disappointing run over 6f in a Newbury novice last time but her second in a Kempton Park maiden on the All-Weather previously was much more encouraging.
Hoping Baaeed turns on the style in Sussex Stakes
Baaeed eases away from Real World and Order Of Australia at Royal Ascot
It’s impossible to even imagine superstar Baaeed getting beaten in the day’s feature race, the Group One Qatar Sussex Stakes (3.35).
Like most racing fans I’m hoping to see William Haggas’s amazing colt extend his unbeaten record to nine with a performance that will live in our memories for a long time.
The one I think could chase him home is Aidan O’Brien’s Order Of Australia, who caught my eye with his performance in the Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh.
That was only a Group Two, of course, but he did win at the highest level in the Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2020 and is the highest-rated horse in the race behind Baaeed. He struggled a little in last year’s renewal but has the better ground in his favour this time.
Hollie Doyle was speaking to Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft.