I SHOULD have learnt the lesson that trying to find a bet a day for the big meetings only works for Cheltenham, and it was a struggle to get runners, let alone winners at Goodwood. That said, the horses singled out as worth following have largely paid their way this term, although I’m still smarting at missing 25/1 Rathgar at Yarmouth when confined to my sick-bed (the definition of adding insult to injury).

I make no excuses for bringing up horses mentioned before, and in retrospect York was always more likely to be the plan for Forza Orta rather than Goodwood, and he was a huge drifter in the betting before running below par there last time with cheekpieces doing nothing for him other than causing him to over-race.

He now heads to the SkyBet Stayers’ Handicap on Wednesday and can race from a mark of 84 assuming top-weight Tashkan defects as looks likely.

Forza Orta won the corresponding contest 12 months ago from a mark of 86, landing a quiet gamble in the process, and I’m kicking myself for not realising sooner that the race would be a prime target again for Kevin Ryan.

As I said last time, I don’t think he’s a true stayer at a stiff two miles or further, but the nature of the course at York suits him and he’s now won two and finished second once on four handicap starts on the Knavesmire.

McLoughlin’s progressive runner

The opening race of the meeting is a sprint over the little-used five furlongs and 89-yard trip and I think the intermediate distance could be perfect for the progressive Bold Optimist.

Trained by Danny McLoughlin, the youngest licenced handler in Ireland, Bold Optimist ran really well in a couple of Premier handicaps in the summer when ridden forward in cheekpieces, but improved when the headgear was discarded at the Curragh last time.

Ridden with more patience, he finished off his race much stronger, seeming suited by the change of tactics, and he needed every yard of the five-furlong trip to get on top. If again ridden less aggressively and without the headgear, I can see him taking another step forward, and the predicted fast ground is what he needs on turf.

Another horse mentioned in dispatches for Goodwood was Mirsky, who looks laid out for a big mile handicap but was withdrawn (due to the ground officially, but more likely because of his draw) from the Coral Golden Mile on the morning of the race.

He was well backed last weekend at Haydock when dropped to seven furlongs, but that looked like a sharpener for this and he shaped accordingly, making the running and rallying when headed, but lacking the pace for the shorter trip.

Back up to the mile for the Clipper Stakes on Thursday, I hope that he will prove worth waiting for, and he’s also the type who could run well in the Balmoral Handicap at Ascot on Champions Day, with his campaign built around the second half of the season.

Viking can make amends

The Strikin Viking cost me a few bob in the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood, but he can make amends in the Gimcrack on Friday.

He set down for a battle with Tropical Storm at Goodwood, but the early pace was overly strong, and when that rival dropped away, The Strikin Viking was left alone and that didn’t help his cause. He kept on much better than anything else that had raced to the fore but couldn’t withhold the late thru of Black Forza.

Black Forza was one of a trio who raced detached from the others in the Richmond, and the fact that they filled three of the first five positions at the line is proof that the pace was too strong to maintain.

As such the runner-up deserves plenty of credit for hanging on until close home, and he can build on earlier course promise by taking Friday’s juvenile feature.

Washington Heights probably wasn’t suited by the stiff six furlongs at Ascot in the Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Stakes, but his earlier efforts this season look better in retrospect, beating July Cup winner Mill Stream in the Abernant Stakes in his return and badly drawn when beaten less than half a length behind that old rival in the Duke of York Stakes here.

He can make the frame at least in the Nunthorpe Stakes against Big Evs, who disappointed in this race last year and could be vulnerable again.

Washington Heights is yet to run a bad race at York, with his previous efforts seeing him beaten a head by Shouldvebeenaring in the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Stakes and going under by the same margin when conceding 10lb to Quinault, with Mill Stream third last June.

He’s raced largely at six furlongs but is all speed and should prove just as effective at the minimum trip. On that point, it’s worth noting that his only other entry at present is in the Flying Five at the Curragh next month.

Eyes on the Ebor

I don’t want to tie myself down to a selection in the Ebor at this stage, especially with a tipping piece to write after declarations for Saturday’s card which will be a lot easier than working through the full entries right now. That said, it doesn’t hurt to throw out a couple who may be of interest should the weather and draw gods play ball.

My Mate Mozzie’s problem is that the races he’s been laid out for tend to come at tracks with a stiff finish and that tends to find him out, whereas he will find the utter flatness of York better suited to his style, and he’s got the ideal weight.

Another better known for exploits over hurdles is Magical Zoe, but she has plenty of gears and shaped really well when third in the Stanerra Stakes at Fairyhouse on her qualifying run.

Selections

Wednesday: Symphony Group Handicap – Bold Optimist

Wednesday: SkyBet Stayers’ Handicap – Forza Orta

Thursday: Clipper Stakes (Handicap) – Mirsky

Friday: Gimcrack Stakes – The Strikin Viking

Friday: Nunthorpe Stakes – Washington Heights