An 8/1 shot who could prove poetry in motion at Goodwood

The top tipster digs out some value plays and fancies G M Hopkins to deliver on Friday

On Wednesday I was walking through the rain-soaked paddock at Goodwood and spotted Andrew Balding. I naturally asked him: “Here Comes When will love this rain won’t he?” to which he replied: “Yes I can see him being placed.” 

So what did I do? I backed the seven-year-old for a place ONLY in the Sussex Stakes and he wins at 20/1.

And the moral of this story is … never, ever listen to trainers! 

Whatever you do on Friday don’t ignore the claims of GM HOPKINS in the Mile Handicap at 3pm. 

This six-year-old needs the word ‘soft’ somewhere in the going description, and finished a never-nearer eighth in this race in 2015 off a mark of 109. 

Down to 104, drawn in stall one and with the red hot Andrea Atzeni on board what could possibly go wrong?  A fast pace looks odds on, the ground is perfect and  he is more than capable at this level. All the son of Dubawi needs is safe passage through the pack in the closing stages.

Grab the 8/1 each-way in a race where Paddy’s paying the first five home and pray for a clean-run race.

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I have been a huge fan of ZAINHOM for some time. This tank of a three-year-old is surely better than his last run at Sandown suggests when the fast ground may have been against him. 

At a working man’s price he could be worth one last chance in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Stakes at 2.25pm in which Escobar is also worth a second look. 

The King George Stakes (3.35pm) won’t be as fast and furious as it would have been on a quick surface, but the give in the ground is a huge bonus for the John Gosden trained ARDAD. 

The only time he encountered such a surface, the son of Kodiac bolted up in the Windsor Castle Stakes last season. At a double-figure price he’s well worth an each-way investment under Frankie Dettori against the older horses.

AL Jazi bids to defend her Oak Tree Stakes title at 4.40pm, but this year’s renewal looks a much deeper race. I’ll be going in two-fold with 7f specialist ASKING for Team Ballydoyle and the mud-loving PERFECT ANGEL.  

The last named steps up to 7f for the first time in her 10-race career. With Andrew Balding’s stable in knocking form, expect her to outrun her double-figure odds. 

Londinium could yet attempt to win a second race of the week in the 1m 2f handicap at 5.15pm, However, I have been waiting for OPINIONATE to make his handicap debut on turf and off a mark of 81 he looks a real player. 

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