Dave Nevison's Goodwood tips: high hopes for this 40-1 chance on Friday

Since reverting to hurdles this season, Kentucky River has continued the improvement he showed on the flat when trained by Ollie Sangster previously, and followed up a recent handicap hurdle win off a rating of 92 with a success last time out off a mark of 105. It certainly doesn’t look as though he has reached the top of his range just yet, and he's therefore my fancy here. 

It also seems highly likely that he will be able to show that improvement on the flat again, especially when taking on an extreme stamina test such as this. 

His last run on the flat was over the longest trip he has attempted so far, and came at the stiffest track in the country, plus he still looked as though he would be suited by even further than Pontefract’s 2m1f. 

Olly Murphy has booked Jack Nicholls for the ride, and the extra 3lb off his back might well count at the end of this stamina test.

After two wins in the first half of last season for William Haggas, expectations were pretty high for Godwinson, but he has hasn’t been placed in four outings since, and is now with Jack Channon. 

He was sent off the 5-2 favourite for a very similar mile handicap in Ireland in early Autumn last year, but finished nearly last after meeting trouble in running. 

He went off at 125-1 last time out at Royal Ascot and punters have definitely given up on him for the time being. 

However, I believe all is not lost and, having tried to find the winner of this race, I was going around in circles at the front of the market, so I am happy to pitch in with Godwinson to hopefully finish in the first six at massive odds (I'll be backing him with a bookmaker offering extra places).

He was going well at Ascot last time out, on the disadvantaged side, before finding his passage completely blocked, and he wasn’t persevered with thereafter. 

He wasn’t beaten too far and if his luck turns one day, he might still be capable of a big run, especially off a rating of 98. My view may be ambitious at a track such as Goodwood, but the price is the clincher (he's 40-1, at the time of writing). 

The eye is automatically drawn to Saffie Osborne’s name next to a horse off bottom weight in a big-field handicap, and David Menuisier is the latest trainer to engage the in-form rider. 

Astracornus has upped his game after three runs to get a mark, and his past two outings have worked out well. His win came in a small-field contest at Nottingham, but two of the four rivals he beat have won since, and he finished in front of a next time out winner when second at Newbury on his latest start. 

A race like this represents a step up in grade, but he has plenty going for him.