Tactic’s the Key to Gold Cup Success
The feature event of the Goodwood festival is the Gold Cup, which takes place on Thursday. With A sell-out crowd assured, this year’s race looks very competitive with a field of 12 set to be under starters orders at 3.25pm. Trainer John Dunlop enjoys few things more than a winner at his local track, and he can capture one of the most sought after prizes in the flat racing calendar with his four-year-old Tactic.
It would be fair to say he looked nothing out of the ordinary when finishing runner-up to King Of Wands at Ripon on his seasonal reappearance. Although it was a decent conditions race, it came as something of a surprise to see him entered for a far stronger listed event at York next time. Travelling very strongly, he cruised into the lead at the two-furlong marker and strode away from his rivals to win by 15 lengths.
To win in such style at a course such as York is the sign of a very good horse, and it was a quite stunning performance. Having won with such ease, connections stepped him up in class for the Group 3 Curragh Cup. The stiffer competition proved no barrier to Tactic, as he dominated the contest from early in the home straight, staying on well to beat Profound Beauty by two lengths.
Although strictly on the book, he has a few pounds to find with the favourite Age Of Aquarius, it’s unlikely that this son of Sadler’s Wells has finished improving yet and has an outstanding chance here.
Trained by Aiden O’Brien, Age Of Aquarius is the best horse in this race on official ratings. In three outings this year, he has filled the runner-up spot on each occasion, beginning with the Ormonde Stakes at Chester, where he finished one and a half lengths behind Harbinger. That form has of course received a massive boost following Harbinger’s success in the King George and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes.
Having run so well there, it came as a huge disappointment that he was unable to take advantage of what were ideal conditions at Leopardstown next time. Taking up the running at the half mile marker, he found little when put under pressure entering the final furlong and was half a length adrift of Profound Beauty at the line.
For his final outing, he made the trip to Royal Ascot for the Gold Cup and appeared to have the race in the bag when pulling clear entering the home straight. However, once again when asked for maximum effort, he failed to respond as his jockey would have hoped and was passed by Rite Of Passage. He looked rather one paced in the closing stages although he finished well clear of the third horse Purple Moon.
At present, he looks a little short in the betting with odds of around 7/4 being available. As talented as he undoubtedly is, there is always the feeling that he may not be putting it all in and is therefore worth opposing.
There would not be many more popular winners than Free Agent, who runs in the colours of The Queen, and this four-year-old trained by Richard Hannon is not without a chance. He made a pleasing if somewhat unspectacular seasonal debut in a good handicap at Windsor, where he stayed on well in the closing stages to finish fourth to The Fonz. He looked in need of the run that day and stripped much fitter on his final outing, which came in a valuable handicap at York.
On this occasion, he travelled nicely in behind the leaders and showed a devastating turn of foot entering the final furlong. The winning distance of one and a half lengths over Drunken Sailor does not do him justice, as he looked far superior than his opponents there. With odds of around 14/1, he looks good each-way value and if the market leaders should run below par then he could go even closer.
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