Saturday marks the thrilling conclusion of Glorious Goodwood with a packed ITV Racing schedule featuring top races from Goodwood, Newmarket, and Thirsk. The headline race is the historic Stewards' Cup, supported by other major contests. Expert tips highlight Romantic Symphony at Newmarket, Mirsky at Thirsk, and Opportunity and Santorini Star at Goodwood as strong betting options, based on recent form and race conditions. Bettors are advised to consider each horse's proven track record and suitable ground preferences to maximize their chances.
Glorious Goodwood wraps up with another fantastic card on Saturday, with the historic Stewards' Cup headlining the festivities. Along with five live races from Goodwood, ITV Racing will be showing the Listed Chalice Stakes from Newmarket, and the Summer Handicap live from Thirsk.
Here are my best betting tips for Saturday's ITV races at Goodwood, Newmarket and Thirsk.
ITV Racing Schedule
Time
Track
Title
1:33pm
Newmarket (July)
British Stallion Studs EBF Chalice Stakes (Listed Race) 1m4f
12 of the last 13 winners of this Listed race have gone the way of Newmarket-based trainers, and eight of the last 11 renewals have been won by three-year-olds. Everything points towards a victory for ROMANTIC SYMPHONY (9/4), who'll be ridden by Billy Loughnane, who skips the final day of Glorious Goodwood to ride at Newmarket.
Charlie Appleby's filly went into the Lingfield Oaks Trial on the back of two maiden victories. Romantic Symphony was backed into favouritism ahead of the Ballydoyle fillies at Lingfield, but found the occasion too much to cope with, and trailed home a well-beaten fourth as Cameo sprinted home.
Appleby's filly bounced back to form in France on the third day of Royal Ascot, losing out by just half a length to favourite Calasita in the Listed Prix de Thiberville. Loughnane's mount has some decent older horses to contend with today, but she's rated only five pounds inferior to the highest-rated runner, and she'll be receiving 10lb from most of her rivals.
1:50pm Goodwood - Summer Handicap Tips
Valedictory could still be ahead of the handicapper, and Aeronautic looks to have a good chance. However, I've come down on the side of SMALL FRY (10/1), who shaped well when sixth in the Ascot Stakes last time out.
Small Fry ended his time with Gary and Josh Moore in excellent form, winning high-quality handicaps at Chester and Epsom. Joseph O'Brien's recruit faded from the front on his stable debut in the Irish Cesarewitch, before placing on two starts over hurdles in May this year, without ever looking particularly comfortable over his obstacles.
Oisin Murphy was desperate to hug the rail throughout in the Ascot Stakes, and Small Fry picked up well once the gaps opened in the closing stages, staying on into sixth as his stablemates fought out the finish. This trip should be much more suitable, and a wide draw has proven beneficial in this race down the years. Small Fry could still be open to further improvement on the level.
2:08pm Thirsk - Summer Cup Handicap Tips
We head up to Thirsk now for a valuable one-mile handicap. Jaddaal is a warm favourite having scored nicely at Chester in June, but I'm going to side with MIRSKY (13/2) again, having backed David O'Meara's handicapper in the Thirsk Hunt Cup earlier in the season.
Mark Winn gave the quirky Mirsky an excellent ride that day, producing O'Meara's seven-year-old perfectly before holding off the well-treated Blue Rc on the run to the line. Mirsky was then a no-show at York less than two weeks later, and again during the Epsom Derby Festival, but ran fairly well to finish seventh in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Oisin Murphy gave Mirsky an easy time of things when Indalo set off for home in the Coral Charge, allowing Mirsky to coast home in ninth. Four defeats since that Hunt Cup success see O'Meara's seven-year-old return to Thirsk off the same mark as in May, and Danny Tudhope will be looking for his second course victory aboard Mirsky, having guided him to victory here in 2025.
2:25pm Goodwood - Glorious Stakes Tips
Al Aasy will try to complete a hat-trick of victories in this Group Three, and William Haggas' nine-year-old sets a high standard. The defending champion will face stiff competition from stablemate OPPORTUNITY (3/1), and I'm going to side with the younger of the two Haggas runners.
Opportunity has looked like your stereotypical "Group horse running in a handicap" on his two starts this term. James Doyle's mount trounced a decent field on his reappearance at Carlisle, before motoring clear of Warrant Holder in the closing stages to win the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Haggas' gelding recovered well after a shocking start to finish fourth behind Amiloc in the Gordon Stakes here last season. Opportunity managed to navigate stall one well under James McDonald at Ascot, so the same draw shouldn't pose him too many problems.
Mirsky winning at Epsom last season. (Getty)
3:00pm Goodwood - Lillie Langtry Stakes Tips
Waardah made the most of her three-year-old allowance when edging out Danielle in this contest 12 months ago. You'd have to fancy Danielle to reverse that form at level weights, but I'm not sure either of the top two, or Consent for that matter, can produce their very best on fast ground.
SANTORINI STAR (6/1) won twice on fast ground last season, and toughed it out to beat the geldings in a fast-ground renewal of the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket in May.
William Haggas' mare went down fighting to Caballo De Mar in the Group One Prix Vicomtesse Vigier three weeks after that Jockey Club success. Santorini Star then took her chance in a fantastic renewal of the Hardwicke Stakes, where things couldn't have gone much worse for Tom Marquand's mount, who was slowly away, chased up on the outside of the pace, and faded tamely as the likes of Kalpana and Giavellotto set off for home.
This is much more Santorini Star's level, and this intermediate trip is right up her street. Haggas' mare boasts winning form around Goodwood too. Even with that Group Two penalty, Santorini Star looks to be a solid bet at 6/1.
Visit our Stewards' Cup Live Stream page if you want to watch any of Saturday's races at Glorious Goodwood via a mobile or tablet.
4:10pm Goodwood - Phase Eight Handicap Tips
GHOST MODE (15/2) is interesting as he steps back up to seven furlongs. Andrew Balding's colt did all of his racing over this trip as a juvenile last term, winning well at Chester, while also placing in good races at Goodwood, Epsom and York.
After motoring to victory on his handicap debut at Southwell in March, Balding had every right to think that he had a progressive sprinter on his hands. Ghost Mode was then very wayward as he attempted to make all in the Commonwealth Cup Trial at Ascot, pulled hard and hung left in the Carnarvon Stakes at Newbury, and was left behind at the start by some real speedsters in a five-furlong handicap at Royal Ascot.
Balding's charge was better back over six furlongs at the July Festival, finishing two lengths behind Jazl when sixth in the Betway Heritage Handicap. Ghost Mode stayed seven furlongs strongly last season, and Rob Hornby will be pleased with his low draw in stall four.
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