SILVESTRE DE SOUSA: Glorious Goodwood Friday

This will be my busiest day of the week with five rides to look forward to including being back aboard Orbaan from a nice draw in the Golden Mile. It’s looking like I will be at Newmarket on Saturday rather than Goodwood, so this is likely to be my last blog of the week. Looking ahead to next week and it’s the Star Sports Brighton Festival from Wednesday through to Friday where I’m hoping to pick up some rides. Hopefully, I will get a chance to see a few of you down there…

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FRIDAY

GLORIOUS GOODWOOD

HYDROPLANE – 1.50pm (Coral Goodwood Handicap)

This is a race I’ve won from the front before and hopefully I can repeat the trick aboard Hydroplane for Ian Williams. We paired up to win at Chester last month and he seemed to enjoy a positive ride. He stayed the trip really well that day and he should have no problems with the extra half mile. I guess he’d ideally like a little more give in the ground, but he should be okay and I’m hopeful.

ORBAAN – 3.00pm (Coral Golden Mile Handicap)

There probably isn’t a race all week where it’s more important to land a low draw than the Golden Mile and luckily Orbaan (pictured below) has landed trap two. He’s usually held up out the back, so I’ll be doing my best to hold a prominent position without getting too far back. If you miss it around here, you end up having to steer wide and riding for luck. Orbaan ran really well for me at Ascot last time and shaped as if he is worth another go back up to a mile – I think he can run well. Godolphin’s Noble Dynasty from the stall next to me looks the one to beat, while I expect Jimi Hendrix to run well despite being drawn the widest of all.

CLARENDON HOUSE – 3.35pm (King George Qatar Stakes)

The big race of the day is the flying King George Stakes and they won’t be hanging around if the ground continues to dry out. I’ve not ridden Clarendon House before but he ran well at the track back in April when just missing out behind Raasel. We are 5lbs better off for that head so on paper must have a bit of a squeak. Raasel has improved a lot since and may just be the one to benefit from a fierce gallop with the likes of Equilateral and Khaadem likely to go very quick.

EXPLICIT – 4.45pm

A really competitive Goodwood nursery where I’m thrilled to be riding one for the Johnston team who have such a good record at the meeting. Explicit has already had eight runs, winning twice and finishing second on four occasions. He’ll have to step up on the best he has achieved to date, but has a nice racing weight and has had plenty of experience.

JOHN THE BAPTIST– 5.20pm

My final ride of the day is John The Baptist for Mick Appleby in the first time hood. Hopefully that will help him on what he has shown in two starts for his new trainer since leaving Ireland. He is stepping up in trip again and hopefully that may help him, although this looks tough.

Good Luck
SDS

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