Galway/Goodwood – Friday

Any day we get to see the ridiculously quick Battaash is a good day, but Friday’s card at Goodwood (ably assisted on the undercard over at Galway), is a feast of intriguing racing. Much of it will be there to be savoured without a vested interest. But I do feel the Unibet Golden Mile Handicap at 2.45 is ripe for profiting from, as things stand.

The last time I suggested to back three horses in one race was way back in the distant past, when I had three stabs at the Novices’ Handicap Chase on Day One of the Cheltenham Festival 2020 way in advance – and it thankfully led to the 1-2 in the shape of Imperial Aura and Galvin at generous odds.

The timescale here is much less fraught with impatience as we only have 24 hours or so to wait for the results of such a staking plan.

The ground is drying all the time at the Sussex venue, and often when that is the case, speed and prominent racing can come to the fore – and we saw in the quality big-field 7f handicap on Wednesday, just how much being near the front end or swinging wide out of trouble can benefit a horse’s chance.

The main two fancies are Urban Icon and Cardsharp, who at 14/1 apiece with various firms paying four places each-way, look perfect for any punter wishing to limit their bets to two in a race.

Urban Icon is a very classy horse on his day, and to that end, this is the first time he has ever run in a handicap. Since his two-year-old wins in lesser events, he has been plying his trade exclusively in Group and Listed contests. Including trying to lead the Summer Mile field a merry dance last time, which after the events of yesterday and seeing how impressive Mohaather was, the benefit of hindsight suggests he ran a mighty race.

Richard Hannon’s charge will find things much easier here, and with an uncomplicated run-style, at 14/1 he is a huge price to make his class edge tell.

Cardsharp is a classic Mark Johnston hard-knocking handicapper who runs himself into form, and given they way he ran six days ago in the International Handicap at Ascot, I’d say he has just ticked over into the ‘in-form’ bracket for this season, as he was a gallant third. Back at a track where he has two thirds to his name in a Group 2 and a Group 3, and with a lovely draw to go forward in stall 5 also, he looks a lovely price at 14/1.

The third go at the race is old friend Vale Of Kent at 10/1 in a couple of places, who has been recommended on a couple of occasions this season already, on account of not a lot going right for him with regard to weather, draw, trouble-in-running etc on a number of his runs. It might be that he isn’t quite the force of last season, but this is potentially an ideal opportunity to bounce back from stall 2 at a track where he too has a glittering record.

If I had to knock one off the list, or indeed stake slightly less, then it would probably be Vale Of Kent – which means he is likely to bolt in of course! But it may pay to have a few combination forecast bets with the three, and also a combination tricast in an attempt to scoop the lot.