Speech looks a Notable one in the Sussex

WEDNESDAY’s feature, the Group One Sussex Stakes (3.35pm) is a race that has gone to the favourite on six of the last 10 years, and four of those have been sent off odds-on.

That might well have been the case again this year had ante-post favourite Rosallion not been ruled out yesterday due to a respiratory infection and his absence looks to have left the door open for Henry Longfellow and NOTABLE SPEECH.

It was the Ballydoyle horse that chased Rosallion home in the St James’s Palace at Royal Ascot but Notable Speech was sent off favourite that day and clearly didn’t perform to the level he did when winning the 2000 Guineas.

It’s worth forgiving that effort and on the back of it he offers better value than Henry Longfellow in the market.

The quick ground at Goodwood will also be more to his liking than his main market rival, who would probably prefer a bit more ease in the surface.

French raider Facteur Cheval, who finished second to Paddington in last year’s renewal, is the other runner of note.

He was a Group One winner of the Dubai Turf at Meydan in March, but that came over nine furlongs and his tactical speed is likely to be tested over this sharp mile, especially on quick ground.

I think Notable Speech is the bet here at around 7/4, and if playing on the World Pool at tote.co.uk we are almost sure to beat SP, with the good chance of an overpay too.

The best betting race on today’s card is the Molecomb Stakes (3:00pm), a five-furlong dash for two-year-olds.

AMESTRIS looks a big price here for a filly that showed plenty of ability on her first two starts, winning impressively on the second of those at Lingfield before being pitched into the Queen Mary at the Royal Meeting.

She wasn’t unfancied for that Group Two contest and never really had clear daylight to run into when finishing off well from the back of the field.

Considering she was only beaten six lengths at the line it was a fair effort and she would have finished closer if not getting caught on the heels of rivals.

At around 25/1 in places, Michael Bell’s filly looks overpriced and I’ll be siding with her in World Pool’s Win and Place markets.

Another I’ll be playing, again both Win and Place with World Pool, is Archie Watson’s VINGEGAARD.

This son of Mehmas also emerged from Royal Ascot with credit after finishing fifth in the Windsor Castle.

He led inside the final furlong of that contest but faded up the stiff finish at the Berkshire venue.

Clearly blessed with plenty of pace, he again hit the front last time out in Newbury’s Super Sprint only to go down by a neck at the line to a fast-finishing rival.

The speed he’s shown previously should allow him to lead or race prominently here and make full use of a good stands rail draw in stall 16, while the downhill nature of the track will also mean he should have more chance of lasting home than at Ascot or Newbury.

Archie Watson’s other runner, AESTERIUS, is also drawn to attack from stall 10.

He looks perhaps the most likely winner, having showed a lightning turn of foot to land the Dragon Stakes at Sandown last time.

His price of around 5/2 is too short for me though, and instead I’ll be bundling him up in a Quinella (pick the first two home) along with main selections Amestris and Vingegaard.

POINTERS – WEDNESDAY

Amestris (Win and Place)              3.00pm                Goodwood

Vingegaard (Win and Place)         3.00pm                Goodwood

Aesterius, Vingegaard, Amestris (Quinella)            3.00pm                Goodwood

Notable Speech (Win)                    3.35pm                Goodwood