When I was a lad, the most intriguing contest at Glorious Goodwood wasn't the Sussex Stakes, or the Goodwood Cup, but a 3-y-o handicap called the Extel. It was a race which seemed to throw up its fair share of successful gambles, and no-one could plot one up for the Extel quite like Luca Cumani. The Newmarket handler landed the contest, and some tidy bets, in 3 consecutive years which happened to coincide with my impressionable teenage years, and names like Free Guest and his half-brother Fish 'N' Chips will forever be burned into my memory. I particularly remember a vintage ride from Pat Eddery on the latter, winning with any amount to spare to send the punters into raptures. Cumani won the contest, now carrying the sponsorship of Gordon's, for a fourth time in 2001, and while it's been a while between drinks, he looks to have sound claims of taking the latest renewal with the improving Ajmany.
The Kheleyf gelding arrives on the back of a career-best effort at Nottingham, when he stormed clear of Stellar Express at Nottingham (1m) in a race which was well run despite a small field. Ajmany showed a tendency to hang left there, and also took time to hit full stride, but was very strong indeed at the finish, and looks sure to be better suited by the longer trip today, a notion backed up by his pedigree, with his dam having won over 1½m. Richard Hughes showed how to negotiate a wide draw when winning on Magic City yesterday, and the high numbers have fared surprisingly well on the round course so far this week, particularly in races at this trip, with the opening handicap of the meeting over C&D dominated by those drawn 13 or higher.
Code of Honour and Red Avenger look the main dangers on recent form, with the former impressive at Sandown last time, and the latter doing well given how the race developed when chasing home the impressive Maputo at Newmarket.
The Goodwood Cup at 15:15 may not have the status it once enjoyed, but it looks a fascinating contest, and it's very possible that Cumani can celebrate a double with Mount Athos. Kieren Fallon misses out on Ajmany due to major differences with the horse's owner, but Cumani has been very loyal to the ex-champion, and that support ought to be rewarded, with the son of Montjeu looking the best horse in the contest. Mount Athos is a thorough stayer at 2m, finishing an excellent fourth under a welter weight in the 2011 Cesarewitch, and performing with great credit in the Melbourne Cup last year. He's done most of his racing at shorter, though, and found both the 1½m trip and the firm ground against him when running well in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot. The easier ground and longer trip will suit him much better today, and he will be hard to beat against largely exposed rivals. He's another with a wide draw to overcome, but the first turn in the Goodwood Cup is a left-handed one soon after the start, and it's actually those in the wide boxes who are effectively closest to the running rail, and therefore advantaged.
Recommendations:
Both at Glorious Goodwood
Back Mount Athos @ 4.7 in the 15:15 (NB)
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