Dial Dal At Goodwood

Alex Peperell has a nice priced runner pencilled in for the Cup

- Alex Peperell

After what was a close call with Natural Scenery from last month’s column in the Northumberland Plate, I’m hoping to go one better on at least one occasion this time around. Glorious Goodwood isn’t far away and once again it’s another week full of top class racing.

GOODWOOD CUP DAL HARRAILD (10/1)

Big Orange put up a gallant display to emerge victorious in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and is rightly the short-priced favourite for the Goodwood Cup. Order Of St George has been ruled out of the race and on paper this looks like it could potentially be a penalty kick for Michael Bell’s charge. But as we all know, races aren’t run on paper and after what was such a huge performance from Big Orange in Berkshire, that race may have taken plenty out of him and there is a chance he could still be feeling the effects of those excursions here. Therefore at such prohibitive odds there is value to be had looking elsewhere.

William Haggas has been having a good time of things and he looks likely to saddle the talented four-year-old Dal Harraild. A multiple winner over 1m4f, he stepped up to 1m6f at York on his penultimate start and that showed him to really good effect. The last furlong and a half were probably his best in that race, he stayed on really strongly to beat some experienced and very proven stayers, Nakeeta and Seymour, by a cosy three and-a-half lengths. He made a bold bid from the front in the

Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot but he got overhauled in the straight. In saying that, he continued to stay on very well and was only beaten four lengths while being that same distance ahead of his next pursuer.

He does have it all to do being stepped up to Group 1 company, but he seems to still be improving and this further hike in distance could be the making of him. If the favourite was to misfire then Dal Harraild looks like the one to be on.