We’ve had quite a few runners this week at Goodwood, and although the majority of the runners in the handicaps have performed slightly below-par, I’ve certainly been encouraged by the performances of our young horses. Wolf Of Badenoch ran such a good race on Tuesday in the Group 2 Vintage Stakes, and you’d just have to say inexperience in the early part of the race is what caught him out, and Goodwood is a tricky downhill track that can be difficult for younger horses. He gradually warmed to his task and came home very well, and while it was disappointing not to win, it was a very encouraging run, and we have a lovely horse to look forward to for the rest of the season and beyond.

Although everything went wrong for The Waco Kid in the Richmond Stakes on Thursday, he’s another horse who I thought performed with plenty of credit. He was slightly slowly away, then he stumbled and got bumped, so his chance was rather compromised at the start, and then he was just behind the eight ball for the rest of the race, which is really tricky in a contest like this. He did very well in the circumstances though, and he’s proven that he can hold his own in strong company, so I think we’ll step up to 7f with him sooner rather than later, and the future is very bright for him.

We only have the two runners on Saturday, so a slightly quieter day than usual, but hopefully both of them go there with solid each-way chances.

It Ain’t Two drops into handicap company for the first time here, and while it’s a competitive race, she should appreciate the slight ease in grade. She didn’t run too badly in the Super Sprint at Newbury last time, but we just felt that the fast 5f there caught her out, and everything just happened a bit quickly for her. I’m hoping going back up to 6f here will see suit her, and the form of her second at Sandown two starts ago has been given a boost with the winner Aesterius finishing second in the Molecomb this week. 

She does have top weight, but I think her form stacks up well in the context of this race, and it’s a £40,000 race, so it’s well worth having a go while many people’s attention might be over at Goodwood. There are a few nice types in here from some powerful yards, but as I say, she has the form in the book, and I’m hoping she can run very well.