FRESH FROM ASCOT TO STEWARDS CUP

It's the final day of the Goodwood Festival which means for handicap lovers it is Stewards Cup Day!

A cavalry charge mainly downhill of 17 sprinters and fingers crossed we get the winner having gone oh so close with Star of Orion at Ascot last weekend.

Fresh has improved with each run this season. He beat subsequent York winner Pendleton over six furlongs at Ascot in May. Last time out he ran an absolute cracker when runner up to Group horse Rohaan in the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot. He travelled nicely that day on soft ground and hit the front a half furlong out only to get done by the talented 3yo Rohaan.

Trainer James Fanshawe has saved him for this race following a 3lb hike in the ratings from the handicapper to his current mark of 99. He is nicely drawn in the middle from Stall 16 with jockey Kieran Shoemark at the top of his game following his first Group 1 victory aboard Lady Bowthorpe in the Nassau Stakes here on Thursday.

We must get a big priced horse on side in such a competitive race with a huge field of 27 runners. A horse that sure looks overpriced is Hey Jonesy who won at Royal Ascot in 2020 when holding off a late sure by Summerghand. Summerghand progressed to win this race last season so that is good form. Hey Jonesy has been running well this season with a third place finish at Chester over an extended trip for this horse of 7.5 furlongs.

At the Royal Meeting he ran another solid race in the Wokingham Stakes finishing sixth on ground that was plenty soft for him. We must excuse his recent poor run but every horse throws in a poor run every now and again bar the very best animals. Megan Nicholls has ridden this horse twice this season and is back in the saddle. An easy six furlongs is ideal, and he has just 9-0 on his back. Drawn in stall six I expect him to be on the front end and hopefully with luck be bang in contention at the business end.

Goodwood - 3:40

0.5 Point Each Way Fresh 6/1 Boylesports & Betfred paying 6 places.

0.5 Point Each Way Hey Jonesy 40/1 William Hill else 33/1 Skybet, both paying 7 places.

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