The Punt Acca: Robbie Wilders' three racing tips at Goodwood

Hydroplane (1.50 Goodwood)

There are no starting stalls in this 2m4½f handicap and a race can be lost in the opening furlong as the field can quickly become well strung out. Silvestre de Sousa expertly executed front-running tactics to land this by 15 lengths four years ago on Lil Rockerfeller and lightning might strike twice with his mount this season, Hydroplane, who made virtually all to bolt up by six lengths in first-time cheekpieces at Chester last time. The pieces are retained on Hydroplane, who has only run four times over staying trips on the Flat and remains unexposed in this sphere.

Ouzo(3.00 Goodwood)

On the form of two of his last three runs, Ouzo is a massive player from stall seven in the Golden Mile. You can draw a line through his last of 29 in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot two starts back as that clearly wasn’t his running and his recent length third at Sandown can be marked up. He was locked in close to the rail as the race unfolded and couldn’t get out until it was too late under Saffie Osborne. Conversely, everything went right for reopposing winner Sinjaari (stall 10) and I expect Ouzo, who runs off 1lb lower than his future rating, to exact his revenge.

Max Vega (4.10 Goodwood)

Rebel’s Romance catches the eye in the Glorious Stakes after impressing at Newmarket in the Fred Archer in June. However, he looks a little short in the betting facing several higher-rated opponents in a stronger event. Max Vega is a decent alternative. He disappointed in the Yorkshire Cup last time but that was a better race over an extra two furlongs that he didn’t stay. I suspect dropping to 1m4f will help and if returning to the form of his Newbury victory over that distance a couple of starts back, Max Vega can give the favourite plenty to think about. He is rated just 2lb lower than Rebel’s Romance and Ralph Beckett’s horses are in good form.

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