Trust experienced Haatem in not-so Vintage renewal

JUVENILE races at this time of the year are difficult puzzles to work out as highly raced two-year-olds meet promising, unexposed types for what could be the very first time.

This year’s slightly underwhelming Group Two Vintage Stakes (3.25pm) is no different to the norm, but it looks like the experienced HAATEM is the one to side with at 3/1 with William Hill.

The Phoenix Of Spain colt has raced five times for trainer Richard Hannon, winning one and finishing second on his last start behind Aidan O’Brien’s future Guineas horse, City Of Troy, in the Group Two Superlative Stakes at Newmarket’s July Festival. Furthermore, the Bath maiden victor has good form at the track having powered through the line to finish third on debut in good-to- soft conditions, similar to the ground they are expecting on day one of the Glorious meeting.

With the World Pool in operation for the first three days of Goodwood, playing him alongside Tom Clover’s WITNESS STAND in a Quinella looks like an interesting bet as the colt by Expert Eye was an impressive winner at Chester in late June and should handle any give in the ground.

Another who should appreciate any rain that falls at the West Sussex track is ALASKAN GOLD at around 8/1 in the British EBF 40th Anniversary Maiden Stakes (2.15pm).

By Kodiac, he was an expensive purchase at £200,000 from the Breeze-Up sales in April and made a promising debut at Nottingham on rain-softened ground 11 days ago.

Trained by Karl Burke, who has fired out plenty of juvenile winners this year, he looks like a typical improver at double-figure odds.

POINTERS Alaskan Gold e/w

Goodwood Haatem 3.25pm Goodwood Haatem, Witness Stand (World Pool Quinella) 3.25pm Goodwood

Bill Esdaile previews the rest of Tuesday’s action

HORSES for courses is a term often bandied around in racing, but it certainly rings true when it comes to John Quinn’s LORD RIDDIFORD

The eight-year-old, who takes his chance in the opening Coral Handicap (1.40pm), will be bidding to win this race for a third straight year and at the Qatar Goodwood Festival for a fourth time, all over the minimum distance of five furlongs.

His winning run on the Sussex Downs started back in 2018 when he took a Class Three handicap, but he couldn’t follow up 12 months later when stepped up to this Class Two level.

An impressive win on soft ground in 2021 off a mark of 88 was repeated off a pound lower mark 12 months ago and he arrives today lower still on 84.

Andrea Atzeni gets the leg up on the old boy for the first time and he will hope his draw in stall 15 against the stands rail is advantageous.

When the ground gets soft at Goodwood the stands side tends to be the place to be, but Lord Riddiford is a holdup horse, so he’ll need a bit of luck.

At around the 6/1 mark he looks a very fair each-way bet, but I’m also going to back EXISTENT who completely blew the start at Ascot on Saturday.

Stuart Williams’ five-year-old son of Kingman was narrowly beaten in the Group Three Palace House Stakes at Newmarket in April 2022 and was a good fourth in the Group Two Temple Stakes at Haydock just a