Sunday, July 25, 2010

The crying is done; what next - Goodwood or Galway?

Generally speaking I hate to see a man cry. This week I discovered there have been several reports in the press of men crying after watching Toy Story 3. One man who had no qualms about weeping openly on national television was Highclere manager Harry Herbert after Harbinger won the King George by an astonishing eleven lengths. I wonder if Workforce's jockey Ryan Moore had a tear in his eye after the Derby winner trailled in a disappointing fifth of the six runners? Connections have blamed the ground and the fact that the colt, usually a relaxed custoner, was too keen in the early stages.

The five days of Glorious Goodwood start on Tuesday, a meeting at which Mark Johnson has been the leading trainer on seven occasions. The menu looks something like this:

Tuesday 27 July features the Betfair Cup at 3.25; first race 2.10
Wednesday 28 July features the Sussex Stakes in which last year's winner Rip Van Winkle will merit close inspection; first race 2.10
Thursday 29 July features the two mile Goodwood Cup - Dettori put up Kite Wood as his best chance at the meeting on Saturday's Morning Line; first race 2.10
Friday 30 July features The Golden Mile and the Richmond Stakes; first race 2.10
Saturday 31 July features the cavalry charge that is the Stewards' Cup and the Nassau Stakes.

If Glorious Goodwood makes demands on the stamina, it is as nothing compared to the seven days that comprise the Galway Festival which starts 5.10 sharp tomorrow evening with the HotelMeyrick.ie and the ghotel.ie Novice Hurdle. Races of particular interest during the week include the Galway Plate (5.25 Wednesday) in which Nigel Twiston-Davies is set to saddle his first runner, Grand Slam Hero, and the Guinness Galway Hurdle (4.50 Thursday, which also happens to be Ladies' Day) in which Donald McCain is set to saddle his first runner, Northumberland Plate winner Overturn. The going this evening is described as good to yielding, yielding in places. How I wish I could be there!

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