As English Oak has done nothing but improve all season, he appeals to land a hat-trick over 7f in the Group 2 Lennox Stakes on the opening day of Glorious Goodwood. Trained by Ed Walker, this four-year-old Wootton Bassett colt chased home re-opposing rival Noble Dynasty on reappearance at Newmarket.

After then bolting up around Haydock, English Oak followed-up during Royal Ascot in the Buckingham Palace Stakes. The way in which he shot three lengths clear of the field suggested he was a pattern performer in a handicap. Big spending owners Wathnan Racing bought English Oak before his last race and want more return on investment.

Kinross Still a Danger from Established Horses at Specialist Distance

There are reasons to oppose other market principals. Noble Dynasty is better off at the weights with English Oak, but doesn’t look open to the same amount of progress. Audience, meanwhile, carries a penalty for landing the Lockinge and couldn’t maintain his frontrunning gallop when finishing last in this 12 months ago. That set things up perfectly for Kinross.

Now a seven-year-old, Ralph Beckett’s stable star is a genuine “long sprint” specialist. Kinross, a gelding by Kingman, wants this trip and not 6f, but has run over that shorter trip twice in quick succession. That will have brought his fitness on for what is always connections’ first genuine target of the season.

Kinross runs in this race for a fourth consecutive year with course and distance form figures of 121. He should now be spot on to himself justice and clearly loves this venue, unlike Audience and Noble Dynasty who have both disappointed here in the past. Kinross still looks the best of the older horses for this test.

Tiber Flow an Each Way Alternative

If quickly turned out under a penalty after a successful trip to Ireland, then Minstrel Stakes scorer Poet Master will have his supporters. Tiber Flow is also a double-figure price in the ante post betting, however, and could still have more to offer following his John Of Gaunt win at Haydock when last in action.

Trained by William Haggas, this five-year-old son of Caravaggio won’t run if the ground is too fast. Tiber Flow has managed to win Group 3 races both this term and last season, so trying him over 7f in the next highest grade is the logical step. Tiber Flow recovered from falling over on the Knavesmire earlier in the campaign and thankfully wasn’t badly hurt in the incident during the Dante Festival.

With an honourable mention for Johnny Murtagh’s Jersey Stakes third Chicago Critic, it’s Tiber Flow who looks the best each way value in the Lennox this term. The former is a three-year-old Night Of Thunder gelding who ran a blinder at 80/1 when only beaten by a length at Royal Ascot, but younger horses don’t have the best record here.

It is very hard to look past 2022 Goodwood Cup hero Kyprios regaining his crown in the feature Group 1 race over 2m on the opening day of the Glorious meeting. Trained by Aidan O’Brien for Moyglare Stud and the Coolmore partners, this six-year-old son of Galileo is the best stayer of his generation.

There is nothing from outside his own yard that Kyprios need fear left in the race following penultimate declarations. He regained the Ascot Gold Cup at last month’s Royal meeting, so why not the Goodwood equivalent? Kyprios has beaten all those behind him in the betting before. Those he has never faced on the track have something to find on official ratings off level weights.

It’s an open and shut case. An on-song Kyprios wins this hands down and he should arguably be shorter than 8/13 for this. Everything that re-opposes from Royal Ascot has plenty to find on the Gold Cup run. Punters should fully expect Kyprios to become the first multiple winner of this since Stradivarius.

Gosden Duo Like Goodwood

Next best at Ascot was Sweet William, who kept on into third after being given way too much to do. One of two in the race representing the John & Thady Gosden stable, the five-year-old Sea The Stars Gelding won the Summer Handicap during this meeting 12 months ago. Sweet William couldn’t quite win the Ebor or Doncaster Cup, but remains consistently in the frame in Group staying races.

He keeps placing in these events and there’s no reason to suppose he won’t once again. Rab Havlin again takes the ride on Sweet William, but he has six lengths to make up on Kyprios. That’s a lot less than stable companion Gregory, who landed the Cocked Hat Stakes at this venue last season. He might be capable of better than what he showed in the Gold Cup back down in trip.

Continuous Big Each Way Value if Running

O’Brien also has Continuous left in the race after penultimate declarations. Connections attempted to turn this four-year-old Heart’s Cry colt into a middle-distance horse despite him landing the St Leger in the autumn. If campaigned at staying trips, then Continuous looks a potential successor to his fellow Ballydoyle inmate Kyprios.

Whether Coolmore are prepared to run them against one another here remains to be seen. If allowed to take his chance, then there’s no way Continuous will be as big as 20/1 and it’s therefore worth the risk at such big odds on a speculative each way bet on this unexposed type for this kind of race.

After a superb effort at the highest level earlier in the month, Jabaara is a bet to cash in on an ease in grade and drop back in trip to 7f for the Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes on the Wednesday of Glorious Goodwood. Trained by Roger Varian, this three-year-old Exceed And Excel filly chased home Porta Fortuna in the Falmouth Stakes.

That is superb form as the winner previously landed the Coronation Stakes during Royal Ascot. Jabaara won consecutive Listed races at this trip prior to her excellent second on the Bunbury Mile. This is much easier than her last assignment. James Doyle again takes the ride on Jabaara, who looks the one to beat here.

Breege Trying to Go One Better

Topping official ratings is Kathmandu. The problem with Brian Meehan’s daughter of Showcasing is she hasn’t won a race on turf, but was beaten by just a head in the French 1000 Guineas in the spring. Kathmandu then didn’t fire in the Prix Jean Prat either, so there are others who appeal more at bigger odds. Breege was runner-up in this 12 months ago, so looks sure to have had this as a target for her campaign.

Trained by John & Sean Quinn, this four-year-old Starspangledbanner filly was again beaten by a fine margin over a mile here in Listed company on reappearance. Breege was only a head behind recent Curragh Group 3 scorer Royal Dress. That is the level at which she herself scored during the Derby Festival at Epsom.

It means a penalty here for Breege, but her track record of close placed efforts simply cannot be ignored. Course form figures of 223 suggest there is definitely a race in her around Goodwood. Sticking to females only company, rather than the Lennox Stakes on the opening day of the meeting, is definitely the plan. Breege can definitely have a say in the finish.

Fair Angellica Still Improving

Another interesting runner from the younger generation is Fair Angellica for Richard Hughes. Connections book Ryan Moore to ride this three-year-old daughter of Harry Angel who is four from five over the trip. Fair Angellica took her form to a new level when landing a Listed race at Deauville when last in action.

The way in which she kept on strongly in the final furlong on the Normandy Coast suggests this race could be set up perfectly for her. Fair Angellica does need easier ground; so, provided the going isn’t good or faster, she can go on progressing. She’s a solid each way bet off a mark of 106 and that might not be her ceiling.

Three-year-olds have won three of the last five editions of the 1m Group 1 Sussex Stakes on day two of Glorious Goodwood. The 2024 edition includes a Royal Ascot rematch between Rosallion, Henry Longfellow and Notable Speech. Preference is for the former to confirm the placings.

Trained by Richard Hannon, Rosallion has improved since Notable Speech bested him in the 2000 Guineas on reappearance. This Blue Point colt landed the Irish equivalent at the Curragh and then delivered St James’s Palace success during the Royal meeting, reversing Newmarket Classic form. Rosallion looks as though he is the best miler of this generation.

Henry Longfellow Feared Most

Aidan O’Brien has won the Sussex Stakes six times including 12 months ago with Paddington. He has three of eight remaining entries at penultimate declarations with the clear pick of that trio being the aforementioned Henry Longfellow. This three-year-old son of Dubawi out of Galileo race-mare Minding should be a strong stayer over the trip.

Henry Longfellow took a big step forward from a disappointing eighth in the French 2000 Guineas on reappearance when beaten just a neck by Rosallion at Royal Ascot. He’s only had five career starts, so could still have more to offer. Rosallion has proven he has not only trained on but improved on juvenile form, so Henry Longfellow may end up in second place again here.

Facteur Cheval Can Hit Frame Again

But for a terrible tactical decision by the jockey last time out, Facteur Cheval had the form to be a serious player in the Queen Anne during the Royal meeting. Trained in France by Jerome Reynier, this five-year-old Ribchester gelding chased home Paddington in the Sussex Stakes 12 months ago.

Facteur Cheval was then third on home soil in the Prix du Moulin and runner-up in the Queen Elizabeth II on British Champions Day. A breakthrough victory in the Dubai Turf in the Middle East in March proved his ability. If forgiving the poor choice made in the saddle when last in action, Facteur Cheval looks the best of the older horses in this line-up.

Maljoom, in front of him in the Queen Anne, often finds trouble in-running and Goodwood punishes such horses. Sonny Liston is in pretty deep here and may not find an easier mile than Ascot to his tastes either. Facteur Cheval is thus an each way angle against the three-year-olds.

There are question marks about the older females in the 1m 2f Group 1 Nassau Stakes for fillies and mares on the middle day of Glorious Goodwood. It could instead pay to look at the three-year-olds with Opera Singer appealing most stepped up in trip. Trained by Aidan O’Brien, this daughter of Justify was runner-up in the Coronation Stakes during Royal Ascot.

The winner has gone in again since in the Falmouth, so the form looks strong. Opera Singer got a mile well as a juvenile, so this extra couple of furlongs may now be what she wants. Getting 8lb weight for age from her elders mean she comes out 6lb and upwards clear of the field on ratings. Opera Singer can give the yard a fifth win in this.

Classic Winners Respected But Value Elsewhere

Prix de Diane heroine Sparkling Plenty is on a hat-trick and Patrice Cottier intends to run her at the Glorious meeting. The issue with her and 1000 Guineas scorer Elmalka is that their form or subsequent runs have taken hits respectively. On this occasion, there looks to be bigger value available elsewhere.

John & Thady Gosden have two five-year-old mares in the line-up courtesy of the supplemented Emily Upjohn and Inspiral. Both are on retrieval missions and relatively exposed compared to the youngsters tackling them. Conceding 8lb weight for age to younger legs is an issue and the reason why they too are passed over.

Purple Lily Has Each Way Claims

Irish Oaks third Purple Lily didn’t last a mile-and-a-half, but should have no problem getting this shorter trip. Trained in Ireland by Paddy Twomey, this three-year-old Calyx filly chased home subsequent Epsom Classic heroine Ezeliya in the Salsabil at Navan. Purple Lily couldn’t go the pace when fifth in the Irish 1000 Guineas.

This intermediate distance between the mile and 12 furlongs looks the next logical step. Any rain that hits Goodwood will be welcome too. Purple Lily is better each way value than the market principals behind the favourite if coming over from the Emerald Isle for what looks the ideal race for her.

See The Fire Back Against Own Sex

Eclipse fourth See The Fire has less on her plate here after tackling the boys on a stiff uphill finish around Sandown. Trained by Andrew Balding in silks carried in recent years by Alcohol Free, this three-year-old daughter of Sea The Stars kept on into fifth in the Coronation Stakes when just a nose behind Elmalka.

On that basis, See The Fire shouldn’t be such a big price in relation to that re-opposing rival. On the pick of her form, the way in which she has shaped suggests an easy mile-and-a-quarter going downhill may well suit her. See The Fire is worth another chance, especially back against fellow females, over this trip.