Goodwood Festival Day One Blog | Hugo Palmer, David Probert & Jim Crowley
28 Jul 2025
Can our Coral Racing Ambassadors take their impressive recent form into the opening day of the Goodwood Festival? Check out the exclusive previews from Hugo Palmer, David Probert and Jim Crowley on each of their rides and runners on day one below.
HUGO PALMER: 'HE'S STRONG, HEALTHY AND LOOKS GREAT'
13:20 Goodwood – Grey Cuban
Hopefully the meeting will start on lovely good ground, as this fellow wouldn’t want it too quick, but I think we’ll be OK, there should be plenty of moisture in the ground. It’s a £100,000 race, and there are no other options for him next week, so while he’s in good form and Oisin Murphy was available to ride, there was enough in his favour for him to run.
He’s rated 105 now after his last win, so will need another career best step forward here, but an improving horse can continue to do so, and hopefully that will be the case with him.
13:55 Goodwood – Laureate Crown
Laureate Crown has done very well physically since his maiden win, he’s strong, healthy and looks great. This is a bigger field than I was expecting, but we’re drawn well in stall one, and while this is a bit of a fact-finding mission, this is a horse we like very much.
It certainly wasn’t a complete shock that he won on debut at Ascot, he won hands and heels that day without even knowing it, so while this is another big step up, it will be interesting to see how high this horse can go.
DAVID PROBERT: 'IF THERE IS A STRONG PACE, IT COULD SUIT MY FILLY PERFECTLY'
15:45 Goodwood – Nogo’s Dream
Nogo’s Dream gets into this race off a low weight, with just two horses in the field with a lower allocation. He brings some decent form to the table, most notably his victory at Windsor two runs back. Richard Hughes’ horses are in good form, and this is a horse I like.
There looks set to be plenty of pace around me, based on the draw, so I should get a nice passage into the race. With a bit of luck on our side, I think we have a good chance of picking up some decent prize money, at the very least.
17:30 Goodwood – Powdering
This filly has been doing most of her appearances on the all-weather this year, but she does have four victories to her name on turf. Michael Herrington is a nice guy, so it would be great for him if this filly were to hit the frame. It looks like a competitive contest, but if there is a strong pace, it could suit my filly perfectly, as she stays over further.
JIM CROWLEY: 'THERE IS PLENTY IN HER FAVOUR HERE'
14:30 Goodwood – Alyanaabi
Alyanaabi was gelded over the winter, and the season began in the best possible way when he won at Haydock in May. He’s not been able to follow that up in two Group 3s since, and this is clearly a very good Group 2, so he does need to take a big step forward, but his 2-y-o form is what gives us hope, if everything can drop right for him, that he can land a decent prize one of these days, and this Goodwood track might just keep him interested.
15:45 Goodwood – Rosario
I’ve not ridden this horse before, but he was a course and distance winner here in May, which is always a plus, as Goodwood is such a unique track. He’s not run as well in three starts since then, but is a pound lower than that day as a result, and a return to his best could see him have an each-way chance in what is unsurprisingly a very competitive sprint handicap.
16:55 Goodwood – Atlantis Blue
I’ve ridden this mare five times, and won on three of those starts, so she’s a bit of a favourite. She won well at Lingfield last week, and is up five pounds as a result, but we’re drawn well in stall 5 over this mile trip, and the good ground will suit. Her trainer, George Baker, loves this meeting, so I’m sure a quick reappearance would have been the plan, and in the form she is in, she could easily outrun big odds, there is plenty in her favour here.
Coral Racing Ambassadors, Goodwood Festival Day One
HUGO PALMER: 'HE'S STRONG, HEALTHY AND LOOKS GREAT'
13:20 Goodwood – Grey Cuban
Hopefully the meeting will start on lovely good ground, as this fellow wouldn’t want it too quick, but I think we’ll be OK, there should be plenty of moisture in the ground. It’s a £100,000 race, and there are no other options for him next week, so while he’s in good form and Oisin Murphy was available to ride, there was enough in his favour for him to run.
He’s rated 105 now after his last win, so will need another career best step forward here, but an improving horse can continue to do so, and hopefully that will be the case with him.
13:55 Goodwood – Laureate Crown
Laureate Crown has done very well physically since his maiden win, he’s strong, healthy and looks great. This is a bigger field than I was expecting, but we’re drawn well in stall one, and while this is a bit of a fact-finding mission, this is a horse we like very much.
It certainly wasn’t a complete shock that he won on debut at Ascot, he won hands and heels that day without even knowing it, so while this is another big step up, it will be interesting to see how high this horse can go.
DAVID PROBERT: 'IF THERE IS A STRONG PACE, IT COULD SUIT MY FILLY PERFECTLY'
15:45 Goodwood – Nogo’s Dream
Nogo’s Dream gets into this race off a low weight, with just two horses in the field with a lower allocation. He brings some decent form to the table, most notably his victory at Windsor two runs back. Richard Hughes’ horses are in good form, and this is a horse I like.
There looks set to be plenty of pace around me, based on the draw, so I should get a nice passage into the race. With a bit of luck on our side, I think we have a good chance of picking up some decent prize money, at the very least.
17:30 Goodwood – Powdering
This filly has been doing most of her appearances on the all-weather this year, but she does have four victories to her name on turf. Michael Herrington is a nice guy, so it would be great for him if this filly were to hit the frame. It looks like a competitive contest, but if there is a strong pace, it could suit my filly perfectly, as she stays over further.
JIM CROWLEY: 'THERE IS PLENTY IN HER FAVOUR HERE'
14:30 Goodwood – Alyanaabi
Alyanaabi was gelded over the winter, and the season began in the best possible way when he won at Haydock in May. He’s not been able to follow that up in two Group 3s since, and this is clearly a very good Group 2, so he does need to take a big step forward, but his 2-y-o form is what gives us hope, if everything can drop right for him, that he can land a decent prize one of these days, and this Goodwood track might just keep him interested.
15:45 Goodwood – Rosario
I’ve not ridden this horse before, but he was a course and distance winner here in May, which is always a plus, as Goodwood is such a unique track. He’s not run as well in three starts since then, but is a pound lower than that day as a result, and a return to his best could see him have an each-way chance in what is unsurprisingly a very competitive sprint handicap.
16:55 Goodwood – Atlantis Blue
I’ve ridden this mare five times, and won on three of those starts, so she’s a bit of a favourite. She won well at Lingfield last week, and is up five pounds as a result, but we’re drawn well in stall 5 over this mile trip, and the good ground will suit. Her trainer, George Baker, loves this meeting, so I’m sure a quick reappearance would have been the plan, and in the form she is in, she could easily outrun big odds, there is plenty in her favour here.
Coral Racing Ambassadors, Goodwood Festival Day One
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