1:50 Goodwood
This Class 3 handicap over 6f at Goodwood on soft ground features a field of nine useful performers, several with course form and proven ability in the mud. The KTB Fit ratings are tightly bunched at the top, with Solar Aclaim heading the list on 65, followed closely by Seven Questions on 63, Mister Bluebird on 60 and Sturlasson on 53. Recent form is mixed across the board, but course-and-distance winners and soft-ground performers stand out, while the strong pace anticipated should play into the hands of those who come from off the speed.
How the race shapes up
With two or more habitual front-runners declared, the pace shape is strongly positive and a solid gallop looks assured. Brosay and Jungle Drums are both inclined to go forward, while Seven Questions and Sudden Flight like to race prominently, setting up a test that could see the leaders come back to the field late on. This strongly favours hold-up types such as Solar Aclaim, Sturlasson, Toyotomi and Fleetwater, who can pounce when the front-runners tire in the closing stages. The key question is whether any of the prominent runners can dictate and then hold on up the hill.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Solar Aclaim KTB Selection65/100RPR 99 — field comparison calculated at page load
- 2Seven Questions63/100RPR 102 — field comparison calculated at page load
- 3Mister Bluebird60/100RPR 100 — field comparison calculated at page load
- 4Sturlasson53/100RPR 101 — field comparison calculated at page load
- 5Toyotomi53/100RPR 100 — field comparison calculated at page load
- 6Brosay52/100RPR 99 — field comparison calculated at page load
- 7Jungle Drums51/100RPR 100 — field comparison calculated at page load
- 8Fleetwater49/100RPR 99 — field comparison calculated at page load
- 9Sudden Flight44/100RPR 100 — field comparison calculated at page load
The contenders
Solar Aclaim KTB Fit 65/100
Solar Aclaim is a useful performer with an RPR of 99 and has won over this trip at Goodwood on his only other visit to the track. He has two wins from eight runs on soft ground and the yard’s record here reads well enough with a 10% strike rate and an A/E of 1.57 from 21 runs. Cieren Fallon takes the ride, a jockey with an 18% strike rate at Goodwood and an A/E of 1.2 from 102 rides, while the trainer and jockey combination shows a 3/20 record with an A/E of 1.15 and positive LSP of +£10.00. Dropping in class from a recent poor run of 30-008, he will need to bounce back sharply having recorded an 0-8 record this year. Usually held up, he produces his effort late and that run style looks ideally suited to the strong pace that is anticipated.
Seven Questions KTB Fit 63/100
Seven Questions is a useful performer with an RPR of 102 who won over 5f here in June and has placed on soft ground with one win from three runs. He steps up to 6f for the first time in a while having won twice at the trip earlier in his career and arrives in decent order with recent form figures of 0-3641. Robert Cowell’s record at Goodwood is modest with a 7% strike rate and an A/E of 0.77 from 147 runs, which is the main negative, while Jamie Spencer has a 12% strike rate at the track and an A/E of 0.85 from 579 rides. The trainer and jockey partnership shows 19/138 with an A/E of 0.95 and an LSP of -£41.40. Usually racing handily on or close to the lead, he could find himself vulnerable if the strong pace collapses late.
Mister Bluebird KTB Fit 60/100
Mister Bluebird is a useful performer with an RPR of 100 who has won twice from eight starts at Goodwood. He has a solid record on soft ground with three wins from six runs and has also won at today’s 6f trip though he arrives from a 7f run last time with recent form figures of 8-0220. Dropping in class, the yard’s 9% strike rate from 66 runs at the track is fair. Usually races handily on or close to the lead with high confidence in that run style, he remains competitive at this level on his best days. The non-runner status of the jockey leaves his participation in some doubt but on pure figures he has the ability to feature.
Sturlasson KTB Fit 53/100
Sturlasson is a useful performer on his best days with an RPR of 101 but has been below that level in recent runs with form figures of 14-529 and failed to fire when tried over this trip twice before. He has only run once here at Goodwood and showed little on soft ground that day with one run yielding no win or place. The trainer’s modest 7% strike rate at the track from 43 runs adds little confidence while Luke Morris has a 5% strike rate at Goodwood with an A/E of 0.56 from 342 rides. The trainer and jockey combination shows 8/64 with an A/E of 1.36 and positive LSP of +£13.50. Usually held up and producing his effort late with high confidence, the strong pace should suit but overall there are several negatives to overcome.
The rest of the field
ToyotomiKTB Fit 53/100
Toyotomi is a useful performer with an RPR of 100 who has run to a similar level on his last three starts without looking like winning any of them. He has been below form on both previous tries at Goodwood and on soft ground though the small samples involved stop those being firm negatives, while he has won over today’s trip. Daniel Tudhope takes the ride on a horse that is dropping in class and usually held up.
BrosayKTB Fit 52/100
Brosay is a useful performer with an RPR of 99 who has won over this trip and at this track. Recent form is modest with no placed efforts in his last five starts and he has failed to place in three runs on soft ground. Oisin Murphy takes the ride but the trainer has no previous runners at Goodwood. Usually making the running or racing on the pace, he could set the strong gallop.
Jungle DrumsKTB Fit 51/100
Jungle Drums is a useful performer on his best days with an RPR of 100 but has been out of form for some time and ran poorly when last seen with recent form figures of 0010-0. He has won on soft ground and at this trip yet showed little on his only previous run at Goodwood. The yard’s modest 7% strike rate here adds to the negatives. Usually making the running or racing on the pace, he could be vulnerable if the pace collapses.
FleetwaterKTB Fit 49/100
Fleetwater is a useful performer on his day with an RPR of 99 and recent form that includes two placed efforts this year from figures of 70-262. He has won at this trip but has never scored on soft ground though he has been competitive when placed twice from three starts. The yard’s modest 4% strike rate at Goodwood is a negative and he was only sixth on his sole run here. Usually held up, he steps up in class.
Sudden FlightKTB Fit 44/100
Sudden Flight is a useful performer on his best days with a recent third at this level and an RPR of 100 to his name. He has won over today’s 6f trip but is 0-2 on soft ground and makes his first start at Goodwood where the trainer’s record is modest with an 8% strike rate and A/E of 0.59 from 192 runs. First-time headgear is now fitted and he usually races handily on or close to the lead.
KTB verdict
Solar Aclaim is the KTB Selection. A useful performer who won over this trip at Goodwood on his only other visit and with two wins from eight runs on soft ground, his course record and trainer’s healthy A/E at the track give him solid claims if he can bounce back from a poor run of form this year. The strong pace should play to his strengths as a hold-up horse. Main dangers are Seven Questions, who brings an RPR of 102 and course-winning form though the trainer’s modest strike rate at Goodwood is a concern, and Mister Bluebird, who has a strong course and soft-ground profile. Sturlasson cannot be entirely dismissed on his best days but has several question marks to answer.
KTB Selection Solar Aclaim
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 05:58 UTC, 7 Jun. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Solar Aclaim | 9/2 | 7Bet |
| Seven Questions | 9/4 | Bet Victor |
| Mister Bluebird | 13/2 | 7Bet |
| Sturlasson | 12/1 | 7Bet |
| Toyotomi | 3/1 | William Hill |
| Brosay | 11/2 | William Hill |
| Jungle Drums | 18/1 | 7Bet |
| Fleetwater | 16/1 | Bet365 |
| Sudden Flight | 12/1 | Bet365 |
This is the narrative read of the 1:50 Goodwood. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Goodwood racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has the best course record at Goodwood?
Mister Bluebird has won twice from eight starts at Goodwood.
How does the strong pace shape affect the hold-up horses?
The strong pace is likely to collapse late and favour hold-up horses such as Solar Aclaim, Sturlasson, Toyotomi and Fleetwater.
What is Solar Aclaim's record on soft ground?
Solar Aclaim has two wins from eight runs on soft ground.
Which trainers have the strongest A/E figures at Goodwood in this race?
Julie Camacho has an A/E of 1.57 from 21 runs at Goodwood while John Ryan has an A/E of 1.04 from 43 runs.
Who are the two most likely front-runners?
Brosay and Jungle Drums are both inclined to make the running or race on the pace.
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