The Goodwood Tips & Preview 2023

Looking for The Goodwood tips and best bets? We dissect times and form to find the winner of the 2023 The Goodwood at Morphettville.

THE GOODWOOD BETTING SNAPSHOT

The dual Group 1 place getter from earlier this autumn, Lofty Strike, is a $3 popular elect with ladbrokes at the $3 quote, while Zapateo is a $7 shot after her 3rd placing at the track and trip in the Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m). Her stablemate, Kallos, is at $10, while Zoutori is on the next line of betting at $11. 

There are 17 runners in the field and Another Award, Front Page and Savatoxl are all at $13, while Royal Merchant is at $17. Kementari is a $19 shot, while Frankie Pinot and Mnementh head the rest at $26. 

THE GOODWOOD FORM ANALYSIS

Lofty Strike is out for another crack at a Group 1 after finishing runner-up in both the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) and the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) earlier this preparation. He didn’t seem to handle the Heavy track at Randwick in the TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at his most recent start and comes in with seven weeks in between runs. 

The Julius Sandhu-trained galloper looks better suited under the Handicap conditions of this race and went 14.1 lengths faster than standard benchmark in the Newmarket, which is the best figure that any horse in this race has produced. The three-year-old went 6.8 lengths faster than standard in the TJ Smith Stakes, which is the fourth best last start benchmark figure of any runner. 

Three runners come out of the Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) for the fillies and mares that was held at the track and trip on May 6. They are Another Award (2nd), Zapateo (3rd) and Seradess (5th). Another Award started at a big price and came from well back to go a healthy 9.5 lengths faster than standard, which is the best last start figure of any runner. 

Zapateo hit the line strongly for 3rd. She has gone nine lengths or more faster than standard in her four runs this time in and will settle back for this after drawing wide. Look for the Godolphin galloper to be strong late. Seradess led before just fading late in the Robert Sangster. 

Kallos is the stablemate of Zapateo and draws much better in barrier 4. He has won three on the trot with the most recent of those coming in the RN Irwin Stakes (1100m). The 1200m is the query but he is in winning form. 

Savatoxl (1st), Larmer Street (2nd), General Beau (3rd), Zoutori (5th) and Free Of Debt (6th) are five more to have had their last run over the 1100m at Morphettville, taking part in the DC McKay Stakes (1100m) on May 6. 

Savatoxl claimed the Goodwood in 2021 and might be somewhere near that form. The former Darwin galloper led at a very slow clip in the McKay Stakes and the race developed into a sit sprint. The winner went just 0.7 lengths slower than standard. Larimer Street produced the fastest last 200m. Not quite this is the race to be looking at. Zoutori is a Group 1 winner at the distance but his best days might be slightly past him. 

Front Page carries top weight of 58.5kg and wasn’t far from Lofty Strike in the Newmarket when 8th but is worse off at the weights. He was then checked out of it in the William Reid Stakes (1200m) and has since finished runner-up in the $200,000 Wagga Town Plate (1200m)

THE GOODWOOD TIPS AND BEST BETS

We should see a truly run Goodwood with Front Page, Savatoxl and Seradess all to go forward, while Free Of Debt, Royal Merchant and General Beau among a few others that will look to press up. Settling on Lofty Strike and Zapateo. While connections would have loved a win for Lofty Strike in the Oakleigh and/or Newmarket, the plus side coming into this is that he gets in well with the 54.5kg. Jamie Mott will look to find a spot in the running line either two or three wide with cover and with clear air in the straight he looks to be the one. Zapateo was no match for Lofty Strike in the Oakleigh Plate but had no luck that day when posted wide. She has been rock solid since and should be suited with the pace on and Damien Oliver to ride but the wide gate might just be a bridge too far.