'He has the perfect profile' - why these horses can win at Goodwood or Galway

There is a big week ahead with the Galway festival and Glorious Goodwood taking place. Here our experts provide their best bets for the coming days . . .

Band Width(7.15 Galway, Monday)

By Justin O'Hanlon, reporter

Andy Oliver has booked the season's leading rider Billy Lee for the son of Gutaifan in this competitive three-year-olds' handicap. An unexposed gelding, he overcame a slow start, greenness and some trouble in running to win an auction race at Sligo, but he never got a clear run in a Limerick handicap this month when a strong-finishing fourth behind Dairerin, who reopposes.

He does have to cope with stall 17, but it is not a bad draw for a hold-up horse. He should be able to avoid trouble in running and finish strongly.

Dornoch Castle (2.25 Goodwood, Tuesday)

By Richard Birch, tipster

Dornoch Castle, impressive winner of minor events at Haydock and Ayr, can take the step up in class in his stride.

Mark (left) and Charlie Johnston: like to target Glorious GoodwoodCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

The Johnston stable knows exactly what it takes to win the Vintage Stakes and it’s highly likely this Group 2 has been the Gleneagles colt’s long-term target.

Kimngrace (5.55 Goodwood, Tuesday)

By James Hill, tipster

A master in the saddle at Goodwood in his riding days, Richard Hughes will be keen to train another winner at the Glorious meeting.

Hughes’s progressive filly Kimngrace showed a proper turn of foot when winning over course and distance in May and looks to have a cracking chance in this 6f fillies’ handicap.

That Ryan Moore has been booked is particularly eyecatching. Moore has a 31 per cent strike-rate on Hughes’s three-year-olds in the last five years, including a 2-2 record this term.

Fire Attack (6.40 Galway, Wednesday)

By James Stevens, reporter

Plenty of Galway Plate aspirants have been on the go for a while but I like how Joseph O'Brien has campaigned Fire Attack steadily yet clearly has him in top form for his attempt at the big prize. It was hard not to be impressed by his dominance from the front when he won at Punchestown last time, and he jumped particularly well. A 7lb rise appears a tad generous from the handicapper.

Joseph O'Brien: trainer of Fire AttackCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Everything about that run suggests he should thrive in a race like this, hopefully just sitting close to the pace and jumping himself into contention. The forecast rain may just ease conditions slightly, which would be to his benefit too. There's plenty to like and he looks to have the perfect profile.

Unanswered (8.20 Galway, Wednesday)

By Brian Dowling, reporter

There will be few horses arriving at Galway in better shape than Unanswered. Tony Martin's gelding is on the crest of a wave and a tilt at the festival has been in the pipeline all year for the son of Intello.

The five-year-old began his four-race winning sequence at Limerick in April and has progressed leaps and bounds in every run since with commanding wins at Gowran and Killarney, and over hurdles at Punchestown.

He has soared from a mark of 46 to 71 in the space of just three months and a 7lb rise seems on the lenient side for a storming success last time. His trainer has won this race twice in the past nine runnings.

True Statesman (4.10 Goodwood, Thursday)

By Jack Haynes, reporter

The Johnstons are invariably among the winners at Glorious Goodwood and this progressive juvenile is fancied to land a hat-trick in this 7f nursery, which the stable has won three times in the last eight years.

The son of Churchill was always going to relish stepping up from sprint distances and won with plenty of authority when trying this trip for the first time at Chester. He recorded a Racing Post Rating of 93 that day and running to a similar level of form would make him very competitive.

Read these next:

Confirmed runners and riders for the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup

Fantastic four: assessing the key contenders for a heavyweight Goodwood Cup

Glorious Goodwood 2022 guide: the key races, horses and how to watch

Tony Martin going 'all guns blazing' in bid for fourth Galway Hurdle

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