How results at Goodwood could set punters a trap for York

Few expected the William Hill Most Top Price Runners Handicap to get so famous. That 7f handicap, run on August 24 last year, was wheeled out plenty last week as results unfolded at Glorious Goodwood.

Runner-up Witness Stand won the Lennox Stakes on Tuesday at 25-1. The next day, winner Qirat landed the shock of a shock-filled century in Group 1s when nicking the Sussex Stakes at 150-1. Then finally, Goodwood ultra Rhoscolyn landed the Golden Mile on Friday. That is £780,000 of prize-money to emerge from one £70,000 handicap.

There could be a study done on Qirat's return alone. Going back to when Group 1s were introduced in 1971, there have been seven winners at 66-1 or bigger. Four have come in the last seven years and two have been in the last four weeks; that comes on top of an increase in drifters on big cards as a symptom of changing betting markets.  It is a study for another day, though, and anyway secondary in this case to Richard Kingscote catching his fellow riders napping.