THE going at Goodwood is likely to be on the easy side at the start of the meeting, with rain due on Tuesday, but long-range weather forecasts are less reliable than ante-post betting articles, and I’m not inclined to guess whether it will be quick or bottomless on Saturday, so I’ll concentrate my opinions on the earlier action.

Lord Riddiford

Coral Handicap

(1:40 Tuesday)

John Quinn has dominated the five-furlong Coral Handicap in recent times, winning the contest three times since 2017, and he has a great chance of landing a hat-trick with the 2021 and 2022 hero Lord Riddiford, who has won the race on contrasting ground off marks of 88 and 87 respectively.

He wasn’t in much form when arriving at Goodwood last year but found his best form to prevail by half a length, and he’s been well beaten on his previous start before landing this race two years ago on soft ground, with Hollie Doyle doing the steering.

Doyle has been booked again, and while I’d like to see some of Quinn’s runners perform better over the weekend, he tends to get his handicappers to peak at the right time, and I’d expect to see a lot more of Lord Riddiford’s old dash here despite a disappointing effort in the Dash at Epsom where he was one of those drawn high and not helped by a faulty start.

Per Contra

Nicholson Gin Vintage Stakes (Group 2)

(3:25 Tuesday)

Tuesday could be a big day for Wathnan Racing, aka The Emir of Qatar, with four runners among the confirmations for the pattern races on the opening day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

So far, the Emir’s purchases have been inspired, with Gregory and Courage Mon Ami claiming big prizes at Royal Ascot from just three runners at that meeting.

There are a few more additions to the fold since then, with two of the entries for the Group 2 Vintage Stakes having been purchased since making winning debuts at York and Chepstow respectively.

The one who appeals at the ante-post odds is Ollie Sangster’s Per Contra, who didn’t handle the undulations at Chepstow on his racecourse bow, but still bolted up despite ending up on the far rail.

If Per Contra repeats that trick he may struggle (although he’ll be drifting to the favoured part of the track on soft ground), and it’s encouraging that Sangster is having winners in his rookie season with a licence, and Shuwari took his total to seven wins from just 29 runs when landing a late gamble in the Star Stakes at Sandown on Thursday.

Jamie Spencer is booked, so he looks an intended runner, and can outrun 20/1 odds currently on offer.

Westerton

Coral Handicap

(1:50 Wednesday)

Alan King’s Westerton may well prove himself a Triumph Hurdle contender next spring, but before that he has the ability to land a decent middle-distance handicap and makes plenty of appeal in the Coral Handicap (they really need to work on their names) which starts the card on Wednesday.

An impressive winner of a Sandown maiden over a mile and a quarter on his penultimate start, he caught the eye staying on gradually in a handicap over the same trip at Newmarket’s July Meeting and looks more than ready for the step up to a mile and a half.

Proven on heavy through to good to firm ground, the selection should be impervious to conditions next week, and a 1lb rise for his latest effort behind Killybegs Warrior is more than fair.

The pattern of his form has been one of steady if unspectacular improvement, and he can take another step forward faced with the stiffest test of stamina he’s faced to date.

Aldaary

Sussex Stakes

(3:35 Wednesday)

The sneakiest of the selections by some way, William Haggas’ Aldaary is included in the hope that the going remains very soft on the second day of Goodwood, as there are few among the 10 confirmations who would relish such a testing surface, whereas Aldaary needs it soft to show his best.

He’s not good enough to win against an on-song Paddington but is 66/1 in a place and all the firms are offering three places ante-post.

A soft-ground Sussex could see just four or five declared and getting a shade over 13/1 about him making the first three in such circumstances (10/1 with the next firm in line) is tantamount to burglary. I feel a bit grubby just thinking about it, so let’s move on.

Spanish Star

Coral Stewards’ Cup

(3:35 Saturday)

The Stewards’ Cup is a hugely open contest, and as mentioned, it’s hard to predict whether the track will have dried back to good or quicker by Saturday, and I’d be wary of betting too big until the signs are clearer, but if the going remains on the easy side, then there could well be value to be had with the Patrick Chamings-trained Spanish Star, who seems better than ever at the age of eight.

Spanish Star took his record over course and distance on ground softer than good to 1111 when landing an £11k handicap here in May, and for a track that suits specialists, that remarkable record needs respect.

He’s not in need of the mud either, winning a fast-ground seven-furlong handicap at Epsom on Oaks day to show that it’s a downhill track that is the key to him.

He needs a few to drop out to make the cut here, being number 34 in the ballot, but he has the Stewards’ Sprint as a possible consolation and is sure to offer each-way value in whichever contest he runs.