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 (Goodwood Cup 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.

Goodwood Cup day sees eight turf races contested. Three of those are on the straight course, including the 1000m 4yo+ 86-105 Handicap and both the 1200m 2yo Maiden and World Pool Fillies 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 1984m 4yo+ Handicap, the 1609m 3yo+ Fillies & Mares 76-95 Handicap, the two G2 Vintage Stakes and World Pool Lennox Stakes, both over 1409m, and the feature race 3209m G1 Goodwood Cup. 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 Goodwood Cup, which is full of ‘swoops and loops’ – and one of the few routes where horses will race on the same stretch, sequentially to and from, in both directions - runners start on the lower bend and then begin to swoop left before straightening out where they tend to go from the inside to the outside rail before hitting a looping right turn that climbs uphill, reaching the highest part of the track, they then head downhill before climbing again as they hit the top bend prior entering the 900m straight. Horses can come from off the pace if the race has been run truly, but traffic issues are common, especially on the inside.

Over the last ten years the average field size has been 10.1 and the draw is of no importance. Horses can come from anywhere in the race, but BIG ORANGE, a twice winner of the race, is the only leader to have won in the last ten years. Favourites have won the last four renewals, and six of the last ten.

Last year's Goodwood Cup was run on soft ground, with a field of eight going to post. AMHRAN NA BHFIANN led early with NAYEF ROAD in close attendance, whilst SIR RON PRIESTLEY, SERPENTINE and the favourite, TRUESHAN, who was a tad keen in the early stages, in behind. NAYEF ROAD took over the lead at the half way mark, with TRUESHAN moving into second. NAYEF ROAD led the field into the straight and was still going well, but TRUESHAN was travelling powerfully on his outside with the entire field heading over to the grandstand rail. TRUESHAN was able to bag the outside rail but was under strong riding from Hollie Doyle from 400m out, with the outsider of the field, AWAY HE GOES, coming out of the pack to lay down a challenge. However, TRUESHAN stayed on strongly over the concluding stages to win by nearly four-lengths, from AWAY HE GOES and SIR RON PRIESTLEY, in a time that was 8.95 seconds slower than standard.

Over the last ten years the Goodwood Cup has been run nine times on ground with Good in the description. The weather has been warm in Great Britain and with very little rain forecast before raceday, the ground is likely to be good and could even be on the firm side if the forecast is correct.

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