Cavalryman

31st-Jul-2014

It is not too difficult to be against Estimate and Brown Panther at the prices in the Goodwood Cup, and I am backing two of the Godolphin horses, Cavalryman and Ahzeemah, against them.

It is surprising that Cavalryman is available at 11/2 given that he comes here on the back of a Group 2 win over a mile and a half, and that he has proven on several occasions that he stays two miles well. He had the class to finish third in Sea The Stars’ Arc as a three-year-old from a wide draw and, although he struggled to really find his form for a while after that, he has developed into a high-class stayer over the past few seasons.

A convincing winner of the Dubai Gold Cup over two miles on World Cup night in 2013, he was just touched off in the race this year. Freshened up since then, his performance in winning the Princess of Wales’ Stakes was very good.

He did have the advantage of the stands side rail and the lead, but he had to see off a persistent challenge from Hillstar and he knuckled down really well. That was his best performance in Britain for a long time, probably since he won a listed race at Sandown in 2012, at the age of eight and over a trip short of his best these days. He could be even better now stepped back up in trip today.

Ahzeemah was three lengths behind Cavalryman in the Dubai Gold Cup last year, but he was ahead of him when finishing second in this race last year having not had the clearest of runs, in contrast to Brown Panther, who was well positioned throughout. Ahzeemah improved after that when running out a game winner of the Lonsdale Cup at York.

His two runs back this term have not been without encouragement. He shaped much better than the bare result in the Ascot Gold Cup last time, ultimately failing to get home over two and a half miles and allowed come home in his own time once his stamina ran out. Two miles is probably his optimum trip.

The fact that he ran so well in the race last year is encouraging, and his Lonsdale Cup win suggests that he is right up there with the top horses in the market. He is well worth having on side at 16/1.

CAVALRYMAN WON (ADV 11/2)

AHZEEMAH 2ND (ADV 16/1)

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