Hooray Henry time in Sussex Stakes

By Burnaby
Tuesday, 29 July 2008

Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle team look invincible in Group One company this season and Henrythenavigator can add to their phenomenal tally in the BGC Sussex Stakes at Goodwood tomorrow.

The Kingmambo colt is already responsible for three Group One wins, having landed the English and Irish 2000 Guineas in addition to the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

O’Brien consistently refers to the three-year-old’s "devastating turn of foot" and providing he navigates Goodwood as well as he did Ascot, the Curragh and Newmarket, he will be extremely difficult to beat.

O’Brien is also fancied to strike gold in the Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes with Set Sail, who could not have done the job any better when scoring at Gowran in May.

John Dunlop always does well at the Sussex track and can strike with the appropriately-named Goodwood Starlight in the Sir Peter O’Sullevan Voice of Racing Stakes.

The three-year-old has looked a big improver this season following comfortable wins at Goodwood and Ascot, so should have no problems handling an extra couple of furlongs here.

Carpe Diem was backed off the boards on his handicap debut two weeks ago but found trouble in running and was very disappointing.

Supporters of William Haggas’ three-year-old should keep the faith and much better can be expected of him now he is upped in trip for the TC Harrison Group Handicap at Leicester.

Barry Hills does well with his northern raiders and it can pay to side with Manhattan Dream in the Boddingtons Redcar Straight-Mile Championship Stakes now his team are in much better form.

The Statue Of Liberty filly looked one to follow in winning her maiden at Warwick when her and one other pulled a long way clear.

Night Seed showed plenty of dash when scoring at Kempton and will appreciate the extra furlong of the digibet.com Nursery at Kempton.

Anything Gordon Elliott runs at Perth warrants a huge amount of respect and he can take the Racing Review Thoroughbred Monthly Novices’ Chase with Franc Villez, who has scored on his last two attempts at the Scottish track.

The showcase race on day three of the Galway Festival is the William Hill Galway Plate, in which the Paul Nicholls-trained Oslot is likely to take some pegging back.

The six-year-old looks very attractively handicapped and with Ruby Walsh in the saddle, he is taken to land another big race for the all-conquering Nicholls.

Meanwhile, Montmartre's brilliant victory in the Grand Prix de Paris earlier this month may have ultimately cost him his chance in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe itself.

"He came back stiff from the Grand Prix de Paris and his chances of running in the Arc are compromised," said De Royer-Dupre who also has the favourite in the filly Zarkava who is 7-2 with Soldier Of Fortune at 4-1.

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