Hugo Palmer Glorious Goodwood Day Three Preview: There’s plenty to like about him
03 Aug 2023
Coral Racing Ambassador, Hugo Palmer, provides an exclusive preview of his two runners on day three of Glorious Goodwood and gives his thoughts on the day's feature race, the Group 1 Nassau Stakes.
16:10 Nursery Handicap – Balon D’or
I do have a bit of a question mark in my mind about Balon D’or on the soft ground, but he did run well in the Lily Agnes on soft earlier this year, and we did think he’d have won that day if the ground hadn’t been as bad as it was. Having said that he is a very strong horse, so I think he’s equipped to cope with it and it’s definitely worth giving him another go on it.
He looked flat out all the way at Newbury last time, so perhaps this step up in trip will be what he needs. He hasn’t been done any favours by the draw being in stall 10, but there isn’t a lot we can do about that sadly. Goodwood is a very difficult place to win a race like this as everything has to go right, but I think he goes there with a live chance and Harry Davies taking off a valuable 3lb certainly helps.
16:10 Nursery Handicap – Phone Tag
We run Phone Tag in the same race as Balon D’or, and I must say I’m really excited about Phone Tag. He’s disappointed us on his first three starts, which is why he’s been gelded and why he’s wearing blinkers, but I know the ability is there. I just feel he’s been holding a bit back in his races so far.
Being out of Havana Grey, I think it’s a confidence thing as they usually try very hard for you and even though he’s swished his tail a bit at home and during his races, he hasn’t done that recently which is encouraging.
Even though he hasn’t been tried on soft ground yet, I do think he’ll handle it, and he did an excellent piece of work the other day. He’s fared a bit better with the draw than our other runner getting stall seven, so I think there’s plenty to like about him and I’m really looking forward to seeing him run.
15:35 – Nassau Stakes
My default position is that British horses usually beat the French horses, but Blue Rose Cen does look very good doesn’t she. Strange things can happen at Goodwood, but this is a filly who’s won four times at Longchamp, and Longchamp is the closest track to Goodwood the way they come down the hill there. She also has plenty of form on testing ground, so she does look rock solid.
Caernarfon was disappointing at Ascot last time, and I know more was expected of her in the Hampton Court. She was only beaten three lengths against the colts at Ascot, and maybe she has an each-way chance on the form of her third in the Oaks, and before that when she ran very well in the Guineas.
Nashwa is a very good filly on her day, but the more I look at it the more I think BLUE ROSE CEN will have to underperform to get beat, and I think she goes there with an outstanding chance.
Hugo Palmer, Coral Racing Ambassador
GLORIOUS GOODWOOD – LATEST BETTING HERE
16:10 Nursery Handicap – Balon D’or
I do have a bit of a question mark in my mind about Balon D’or on the soft ground, but he did run well in the Lily Agnes on soft earlier this year, and we did think he’d have won that day if the ground hadn’t been as bad as it was. Having said that he is a very strong horse, so I think he’s equipped to cope with it and it’s definitely worth giving him another go on it.
He looked flat out all the way at Newbury last time, so perhaps this step up in trip will be what he needs. He hasn’t been done any favours by the draw being in stall 10, but there isn’t a lot we can do about that sadly. Goodwood is a very difficult place to win a race like this as everything has to go right, but I think he goes there with a live chance and Harry Davies taking off a valuable 3lb certainly helps.
16:10 Nursery Handicap – Phone Tag
We run Phone Tag in the same race as Balon D’or, and I must say I’m really excited about Phone Tag. He’s disappointed us on his first three starts, which is why he’s been gelded and why he’s wearing blinkers, but I know the ability is there. I just feel he’s been holding a bit back in his races so far.
Being out of Havana Grey, I think it’s a confidence thing as they usually try very hard for you and even though he’s swished his tail a bit at home and during his races, he hasn’t done that recently which is encouraging.
Even though he hasn’t been tried on soft ground yet, I do think he’ll handle it, and he did an excellent piece of work the other day. He’s fared a bit better with the draw than our other runner getting stall seven, so I think there’s plenty to like about him and I’m really looking forward to seeing him run.
15:35 – Nassau Stakes
My default position is that British horses usually beat the French horses, but Blue Rose Cen does look very good doesn’t she. Strange things can happen at Goodwood, but this is a filly who’s won four times at Longchamp, and Longchamp is the closest track to Goodwood the way they come down the hill there. She also has plenty of form on testing ground, so she does look rock solid.
Caernarfon was disappointing at Ascot last time, and I know more was expected of her in the Hampton Court. She was only beaten three lengths against the colts at Ascot, and maybe she has an each-way chance on the form of her third in the Oaks, and before that when she ran very well in the Guineas.
Nashwa is a very good filly on her day, but the more I look at it the more I think BLUE ROSE CEN will have to underperform to get beat, and I think she goes there with an outstanding chance.
Hugo Palmer, Coral Racing Ambassador
GLORIOUS GOODWOOD – LATEST BETTING HERE
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