Ryan Moore’s World Pool blog: Nassau Stakes Day

Goodwood | Race 1: 3yo Handicap

This is one of those typically competitive Goodwood handicaps over a mile and a quarter (2000m) for three-year-olds. I ride PAROLE D’ORO for Michael Bell. He didn’t run badly in the Britannia at Royal Ascot and was then beaten a short-head in a mile (1600m) handicap at Newmarket’s July meeting. He steps up a couple of furlongs here (400m) and hopefully that will bring about some more improvement.

The Wathnan horse Best Secret was probably a little unlucky in the Golden Gates Handicap at Royal Ascot, so he’s a danger, while the Johnstons always target this meeting and Marhaba Ghaiyyath was a good second in a valuable 1m2f (2000m) handicap at the July meeting.

Goodwood | Race 2: Group 2 Richmond Stakes

PUERTO RICO has had three starts, all over six furlongs at the Curragh, and hopefully he can put that experience to good use in the Richmond. I rode him two starts back in a maiden where we had to wait for a run and couldn’t quite get to Ger Lyons’ Learntodiscover in time. He was then no match for True Love in the Group 2 Railway Stakes but ran well to be second and turned the form around with Learntodiscover.

This looks an open enough race. Clive Cox’s Coppull was third in the Coventry which is strong form and Maximised could bounce back after his fifth in the July Stakes in first-time cheekpieces. Havana Hurricane won the Windsor Castle and was then narrowly beaten in the Super Sprint. He won over five furlongs at Goodwood earlier in the season and steps up to six here.

Goodwood | Race 3: Group 3 HKJC World Pool Gordon Stakes

I ride Frankel colt GALVESTON in the Gordon Stakes. He was a decent third in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot and seems in good form at home. There are only seven runners and it looks a competitive enough race.

Merchant will be favourite on the back of his impressive win in the King George V Handicap last month. Rahiebb was second to him at York back in May and ran well to be third in the Queen’s Vase. You’ve then got Sir Dinadan who was fifth in the Irish Derby and Wimbledon Hawkeye who was second to Field Of Gold in the Craven earlier in the season and second again last time out in the Group 2 Princess Of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket last time.

Goodwood | Race 4: Group 1 Nassau Stakes

Just the five runners in the Nassau where I’m on WHIRL. She’s had a good season, winning the Musidora at York before going down by a neck to Minnie Hauk in the Oaks at Epsom. Last time out she beat Kalpana in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh, who then franked the form when running very well to be second in the King George last weekend. Whirl has the best recent form in the book, she’s uncomplicated and will run well.

See The Fire hasn’t won a Group 1 yet but I’m sure she will do at some point. She’s the highest rated in the field after her 12-length win in a Group 2 at York back in May. She goes very well up there, but she also ran a fine race to be third in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot. She was also a close second to Opera Singer in this race 12 months ago.

Bedtime Story was second in the French Oaks last month and this race should suit her. Cercene won the Coronation Stakes last time and as a daughter of Australia, she should be fine stepping up to 1m2f (2000m). You can’t rule her out.