Tim Carroll 's Bio

Tim started off as a jockey in Australia before pursuing a media career. He is a highly experienced and respected racing presenter who has been based in England since 2005. Tim has travelled the world covering many of the major meetings, including Royal Ascot, The Epsom Derby, The International meeting from Sha Tin, The Dubai World Cup, The Everest, The Saudi Cup and The Breeders. He is currently a presenter for Sky Sports Racing, specialising in both the local and international scene. Tim is a regular contributor to the At The Races Website where his twice weekly tipping column on Hong Kong racing has gathered a strong following.

Goodwood Racecourse – Track Analysis (Nassau Stakes Day)

Goodwood is one of the most spectacular and unique racecourses in the world. The track is right-handed with two home bends, and all races over 1400m, 1600m and 2200m enter the straight via the lower bend, whilst all others enter via the top bend. The run in from the top bend and lower bend are approximately 900m and 750m respectively, but given the nature of the turns and the downhill gradient, it is considered a sharp track, favouring those on the speed, particularly in shorter races. Horses that are held up off the pace can run into trouble, particularly those on the rail. The track has a straight course with starting points over 1000m and 1200m.

Nassau Stakes Day sees a seven-race card. Two of those are on the straight course, the 1200m G2 Richmond Stakes, and 1000m World Pool Handicap. On the straight course the low barriers are drawn on the far side with high numbers closest the grandstand rail. Over the 1000m horses with speed tend to dominate due to the fast downhill nature of the course, and horses that break slowly can find their race all over at the start. A few years ago, there was a definite draw bias for horses drawn high in big fields, especially over 1200m, but the draw seems to have evened out after work was carried out in 2008 to move the far side rail, although speed horses over 1000m are better off drawn low.

The five races on the round course are the 2403m G3 Gordon Stakes, which was won by MOGUL last season prior his Hong Kong Vase success later in the year, the 1409m 2yo Handicap and the 2yo Fillies Maiden, and the 1984m 3yo Handicap and the feature race G1 Nassau Stakes. It is generally considered there is no draw bias on the round course, but my own research suggests horses drawn middle to low over 1400m and 1600m have an advantage in larger fields. In the Nassau Stakes, the field start from the top of the loop on the left-hand side and run in a straight line mostly downhill before meeting rising ground on to the top bend and entering the straight which is approximately 900m.

Last year's Nassau Stakes was run on Good ground and the 2019 Hong Kong Cup runner-up, MAGIC WAND set the pace with FANCY BLUE tracking the leader on the outside and ONE VOICE trailing on the rail, whilst the defending champion, DEIRDRE (2018 Hong Kong Cup runner-up), charted a wide course. FANCY BLUE hit the front 200m from home before seeing off a late challenge from ONE VOICE, with the only two 3YO fillies in the race with nicely weighted filling the first two spots in a time 0.29 outside of standard.

According to the weather forecast in Great Britain, the rainy day will extend till the race day. Therefore, the Nassau Stakes Day could be staged on softer ground.

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