It’s very difficult to separate these improving middle-distance three-year-olds for the Unibet Handicap at Glorious Goodwood.
Le Don De Vie was purchased for £460,000 off-the-back of two successful outings at Epsom this season. He carries a 10lbs rise for his latest win going in to first start since switching to Andrew Balding, who has a good record in this.
The favourite Durston has a nice looking pedigree and there’s every chance he could improve again with his 6lb hike after showcasing a strong turn-of-foot last time to quicken-away at Chester.
It will also be very telling if there is market support for the Aiden O’Brien trained Eminence, who trades at an attractive looking 9/1 based on his third in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot behind South Pacific. Eminence needs a strong pace and he is likely to get it here with some proven front-runners.
That winner of the King George V Stakes was firmly beaten by a horse that ties in on the form-line with another, FUTURE INVESTMENT, who was beaten by the same distance as South Pacific on his first start in a handicap in the lucrative Ulster Derby at Down Royal a few weeks ago finishing third with no luck-in-running.
Future Investment has been left on the same mark for this at 89, which seems generous considering that the horse behind him in Down Royal has since gone on to win twice. Future Investment is trained by Ralph Beckett and may just be trading at a bigger price of 10/1 than his form deserves where he is 2/4 including a win when just shading it from Dubai Tradition when giving him 7lbs on his penultimate start.
I also can’t resist a bet on the Frankie-Gosden combination with the hugely unexposed KOSCIUSZKO in the mix here. He shaped very encouragingly on his opening start of the season, never ultimately landing a blow over 1m 2f. But travelling well behind two horses that have since gone on to frank the form with a 1-2 in another affair.
Kosciuszko is a son of Australia and won a decent-looking Sandown Novice Stakes last season in September. He is making his opening handicap start off a mark of 91 which looks very workable and Gosden has clearly brought Kosciuszko along slowly during his three-year-old campaign so is another worth chancing at a trip that looks sure to suit based on his pedigree.
1pt win Kosciuszko @15/2, 14:25 Goodwood, Wednesday
1pt win Future Investment @10/1, 14:25 Goodwood, Wednesday