Super Saturday in prospect at Goodwood

Before that, racing gets under way at 1.35 with a 7f handicap in class three for three-year-olds and the card comes to a close at 5.05 with another handicap, over the 5f sprint distance, in class four.

The opener (1.35) sees five runners take to the Goodwood turf for the 7f class three handicap with the Roger Varian-trained Mission To Moon, a course and distance winner in August before flopping in 17th of 23 at a minor contest over in Ireland in September, returning.

Back down in class and off a lenient mark, the three-year-old looks capable of getting back to winning ways but will have a very tough ask from rival Fair Angellica, who is unbeaten and with the in-form trainer Richard Hughes, so is the selection for race one.

Race two (2.05) is the aforementioned Fillies Stakes over the mile trip and Breege, who hasn’t won since her debut win, is taken to get back into the winners’ enclosure having finished second in the Sandringham at Royal ascot and fourth in a Listed race at Sandown. The main threat can come from Novus, who is saddled with a 5lb penalty after a Newmarket group 3 win last time out.

The third race on the card (2.45) is the seven-runner handicap over the much longer two-mile trip for the stayers. Plus Point, trained by Harry Eustace, certainly has plenty of plus points heading into this one, winning two handicaps last year and progressing in defeat at Musselburgh a fortnight ago and steps up markedly in trip this weekend.

Maxident has ran well on heavy ground previously and is very unexposed itn this sphere while Cinnodin was a fine winner on the all-weather last month but the handicapper hasn’t missed it and penalised him with a 7lb rise in the weights.

Sumo Sam looks to be the one to beat in race four (3.20), with jockey Hollie Doyle booked to ride for the four-year-old’s trainers Paul and Oliver Cole. Sumo Sam trailed home last in the Group 1 Prix de Royallieu when last seen as Paris-Longchamp last September and is certainly not in that sort of company this weekend and boasted two class one wins last season - including in the Lillie Langtry Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last year as a 25/1 shot.

Berkshire Nugget is the play in race five (3.55), with some solid form over the past six months leading up to a second in a class four at Kempton last time out for trainer for trainer Andrew Balding

Race six (4.30) is another one for the longer distance runners witn the eight-runner class two handicap over the 1m1f trip. Plenty are in with chances here but preference is for Wonder Legend, who has some strong three-year-old form with wins on both the all-weather and turf in 2023 adding to a creditable enough eighth in the King George V stakes at Royal Ascot last year.

The finale of the season opener meeting arrives at 5.05 and a small field of four are set to sprint over five furlongs in class four. No Half Measures won well when scoring at Lingfield and followed up in a minor at Wolverhampton but is a but unknown heading to the turf. Dashing Harry is one to be respected having finished behind only one when last seen who has since followed up with three straight wins.

Goodwood selections - Saturday (via Grosvenor Sport)

1.35 - Fair Angellica

2.05 - Breege

2.45 - Plus Point

3.20 - Sumo Sam

3.55 - Berkshire Nugget

4.30 - Wonder Legend

5.05 - No Half Measures