Here we go again today with some cracking bets at Goodwood and in the Galway Plate, so lets go into some serious detail. Fingers crossed for a huge day ladies and gents.

Two selections to go to war with in the first race at Goodwood on day two that I feel are overpriced. GUARD OF HONOUR is 14lb above his last winning mark but has been running consistently well in tough handicap company. Having won off 75 over 1m5f at Bath he ran really well to finish 2nd of 20 runners in the Irish Cesarewitch over 2m, beaten just three quarters of a length and kept on strongly inside the final two furlongs to be nearest the finish. He filled the same position next time when 2nd of 23 runners in the Irish November Handicap and this time he was only beaten a “neck”. GUARD OF HONOUR then finished fourth in another 23 runner field in Ireland before running well in two competitive races on the AW off 88 and 90. He ran a good back on the turf following a three month break at Newbury over 2m2f, having been held-up and raced a little keen before making good headway to be a never-nearer fourth of 8 runners off this mark 89, only beaten around three lengths and was strong at the finish. GUARD OF HONOUR ran well again to finish 6th of 16 runners in the Queen Alexandra at Royal Ascot and that form is pretty strong. That nature of today’s race should stand here in good stead and she has been kept on the same mark in a weaker race here. She has solid each-way claims.

FEDERICI has really thrived since going back on the flat winning two from his last three starts and was far from disgraced last time off this mark when a staying on fourth of 11 runners at Pontrefact over 2m2f. He won before that over 2m1f and should confirm that form with a few horses he faces again here. I think he will enjoy this track and step-up to 2m4f. The ground should be perfect and also connections are in great form of late. Graham Lee has built up a solid partnership with him and he could well keep on progressing through the staying trips and make it three wins from his last four left on the same mark as last time.

Godolphin have a strong hand here and i think the finish could be fought out by these two selections. FIRST NATION has improved with each run since being stepped-up in trip and has finished second on his last two starts. Notably, last time out when an unlucky second of 18 runners at Royal Ascot behind ATTY PERSSE. He didn’t get the best of runs two furlongs out before having been switched left and went in pursuit of the winner, keeping on strongly inside the final furlong but could never peg back the winner who got first run on him. That was his first try over 1m4f and he relished every yard of the distance. FIRST NATION has the assistance of James Doyle, who has only ridden this horse once but it resulted with success. He drops down in trip today to 1m3f but I can see James Doyle making full use of his proven stamina now and surely he must got close to going one better this time around.

SECRET ADVISOR has so much going for him today. He’s only had four starts to date but has shown so much promise, winning on debut over 1m before filling second place twice on his next couple of starts over 1m1f and 1m2f. His best performance came last time out when a strong-finishing 3rd of 13 runners in the Queens Vase at Royal Ascot over the extended 1m6f trip. Arguably he was given too much to do and did make up so much ground to only beaten a couple of lengths behind STRADIVARIUS who boosted the form massively having won the Group one Goodwood Gold Cup yesterday. Charlie Appleby holds this colt in high regard and it’s even more interesting the fact that stable jockey William Buick has chosen to ride him again over a few other Godolphin horses who he has ridden plenty of times before including WOLF COUNTRY and FIRST NATION who came second last time out. He must feel as though this one is the best chance of providing him a winner, and he remains the least exposed and open to further improvement. On all form and jockey booking, he has a very big chance of landing this prize.

I am finding it really hard to overlook HAPPY LIKE A FOOL who is held in the highest regard by connections. She was an impressive winner on debut at Keeneland over four furlongs before being backed as if defeat was out of question whether sent off a 10/11fav in the Group two Fillies event at Royal Ascot over 5f. She travelled beautifully before only finding HEARTACHE too strong at the finish. That was still a smart performance to finish second of 23 runners and she’s open to further improvement for the US trainer Wesley Ward who does extremely well in Britain with his 5f Two-year-olds. Ryan Moore was originally going to ride for his boss Aidan Obrien but now Mike Smith is unavailable, he’s changed over quickly and that is a positive move. Many were disappointed at Royal Ascot with this filly for not winning but I doubt she will come up against an above-average one again this time around and If she is ridden with a little more restraint today then surely she could be more than capable to blow the opposition away because connections wouldn’t send her here expecting to play for the minor money. They will want to win this race and this filly looks to have it in her favour with ground likely to hold no fears.

SKIFFLE is my other one here who should go very close. She has been well below par on both starts thus year but didn’t fare too badly at Newmarket last time in a Listed race where she may have found the 1m4f trip stretch her stamina. SKIFFLE still made good headway to finish midfield and her mark for this handicap debut looks reasonable based on her Listed win over C&D on good ground last May. She’s still a lightly raced four-year-old and now Charlie Appleby applies first-time cheekpieces. She’s clearly a filly who could thrive dropping down to class 2 company and she was even thought good enough to be sent off 6/1 second favourite in the 2016 Epsom Oaks when fifth behind MINDING. She surely has a big chance in this company with the assistance of the top-class William Buick.

SINFONIETTA put in a solid effort over C&D last year when a “neck” second of 15 runners off just 2lb lower. He’s been racing over further since but he did very well to finish second of 21 runners in the Betway Spring Mile at Doncaster off 90, only beaten three quarters of a length behind BALLET CONCERTO who franked the form when winning the John Smiths Cup last time out. That came on good to soft but has won on heavy so is ground versatile. There has been valid excuses the last twice but does need a lot to drop right for him today from stall 17. However, he’s got the assistance of top-class rider William Buick and SINFONIETTA looks thrown in here off 91 and is only 1lb higher than when second in that Spring Mile. He’s a solid, consistent horse and if the gaps appear when needed, he should hold a big chance of gaining a deserved success for his near-misses in top handicap company. It’s also worth nothing that connections have started to hit form in the last few weeks, which boosts this one’s chance even further.

I have two selections for the Galway Plate, that I feel we have the winner waiting for us. Firstly, BALKO DES FLOS who is a bumper/chase and hurdle winner and as a novice this season he twice ran well at Grade one level to finish third over 2m5f on soft ground behind OUR DUKE and DISKO before in the process of running a massive race in the JLT Chase at the Cheltenham Festival when leading the field until four out and he crashed out which was undeserved. He bounced back to stay on strongly when third in a 2m5f handicap chase last time at Punchestown when only beaten three lengths having been given an awful lot to do. BALKO DES FLOS is still only six-years-old and Trainer Henry De Bromhead targets his classy horses at these type of races. Any ease in the ground will benefit this smart horse and he’s also got the assistance of former Irish Champion jockey Davy Russell, which adds further interest. He’s a Grade one placed horse running in a handicap and despite him going up 3lbs today, he’s simply got a lot of class about him having been given some tough assignments throughout his short but smart career so far and today’s opposition is much easier. He’s a sound jumper, gets the trip well and seems to handle most types of ground. Jockey bookings also suggest he’s the number one out of the mob-handed entries by connections. BALKO DES FLOS has all the required attributes to go close to winning this without a doubt and he does seem to be ahead of the handicapper, and looks the type to go beyond a very fair 146 at present.

On the other hand, I can let SHANESHILL slide away from me here, who’s a genuine top-class Grade one performer over hurdles having finished a creditable third at Auteuil in the French Champion Hurdle over 3m1f behind LAMI SERGE last time out, but beat that horse at that venue the time before in a Grade two over 2m5f. He hasn’t been seen over fences since finishing second in the 2016 RSA Chase behind BLAKLION. He travelled beautifully throughout and came there on the bridle approaching two out and took he lead approaching the last but made a slight mistake and that possibly cost him the race, going down by only half-a-length. Also, he could have added another Grade one when he looked the winner in the Irish Champion Stayers Hurdle over 3m, only to fall at the last hurdle. SHANESHILL is a tough character and even though he’s yet to bag a Grade one success, he’s been unlucky twice and has reached the frame on multiple occasions other times. He won’t lack for stamina and has classy form on good ground or even soft to heavy. It’s a major plus that Ruby Walsh prefers him to all the other Willie Mullins runners and his opening handicap mark of 153 makes him so well handicapped. He’s still an unexposed chaser and he’s by far the best horse in the race in my opinion. Although this is a tough race, a clear round surely sees him go extremely close and I know connections are very confident of him having a big chance.

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