1m Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (3yo)
Baeed won this race in 2021 on his way to becoming a Group 1 superstar and connections of Nostrum are hoping he can go on to reach top pattern-class level too. Nostrum has eye-catching two-year-old form and looked fairly impressive on his only start this season in Listed company, which has resulted in a prohibitively short price here. But he has yet to race on ground as soft as this and Goodwood has a habit of throwing up an upset or two as we have seen this week, so I don’t consider Nostrum to be ‘bombproof’.
Consequently the market looks lopsided with a number of runners looking overpriced. Epictetus might enjoy a return to a mile and soft ground, but has been unrealiable this season. Bold Discovery was tempting off the back of a decent win last time out, but there is a slight suspicion that he could prefer a sounder surface.
So the obvious angle into the race is with DOCKLANDS, who has been hugely progressive, moving from an all-weather victory to bolting up over soft ground at Ascot. He then followed that up with a cracking win in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot off a 14lbs higher mark where despite being drawn on the wrong side of the track, he managed to power home finishing 6 lengths clear of anything drawn on his side.
Docklands may lack some of the pattern-level form that has been needed in this race in the pasy, but he looks well worth his place in this contest and can claim victory in what could be a tactical affair.
1pt win Docklands @5/1, 14:25 Goodwood, Friday
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