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2.25 Goldsmiths Handicap preview

Regular contributor Ronan Groome, @ronangroome20, takes on the tricky handicap.

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Goldsmiths Handicap

Once again we have a John Gosden-trained runner with three runs to his name occupying favouritism in a valuable handicap. Nabucco gives the Newmarket trainer another solid chance of course, and is another possible future Group race performer in a handicap, but the theory remains that you won’t get rich if you keep backing them.

The one I like is Royal Ascot winner Fennell Bay, who was able to win over a mile prior to his King George V Stakes triumph. He has been busy this season, this will be his 10th start of the campaign, but he is really consistent and there was so much like about his win at Ascot. He had to come over from a wide draw, got shuffled back just before the straight, was forced to come widest of all and showed plenty of guts to stick his head in front on the line. He went up another 5lb for that win but there could be more to come from him still given that he is a Mark Johnston horse and looks well able to take his racing.

The other interesting runner I like here is Pilgrims Rest, who finished fifth to Fennell Bay at Ascot but may well appreciate coming back in trip here. He was a 16/1 chance at Ascot, but having travelled up with the pace throughout, he came there every chance at the two furlong marker before giving way due to tiredness late in the day. He was two from two in handicaps prior to that and has looked a much improved horse this season. It’s also worth mentioning that he is full brother to Gibraltar Blue, a filly who looked quite useful as a two-year-old when finishing fourth in the Rockfel Stakes.

I don’t like backing two horses in a race unless I really fancy both and the prices are generous. I’ll be backing Fennell Bay as altogether he has the more solid profile. The other ones worth a mention are Razorbill and Greek War. The former looks well worth a try at this trip given the way he finished behind Asatir in his previous race at Windsor. Greek War looked very impressive when winning by six lengths on his seasonal debut but that was only two weeks back, and the ‘bounce’ factor could come into play here.

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