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Glorious Goodwood tips: Five best bets
By Alex Scott
Last Updated: Sun 26 Jul 2026
Alex Scott is taking on several short-priced favourites at the Qatar Goodwood Festival on Racing TV this week! Scroll down to see who his most confident selections are for the five-day extravaganza.
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Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup - Tuesday
TRAWLERMAN (9-4)
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. It is a dangerous game backing any horse against Scandinavia because the truth is, Aidan O’Brien’s top-class stayer just keeps winning.
I took the son of Justify on in both this race last year, and in the Gold Cup last time, and perhaps foolishly, am doing so again here.
Not because I think he can’t win, but because I think there is too big a price discrepancy between him at even-money, and Ascot runner-up Trawlerman at 9-4.
John and Thady Gosden’s eight-year-old was making his first start for 243 days when running in the Gold Cup last time, and after two and a half miles, was only a neck behind the race fit Scandinavia, whilst also giving the Ballydoyle runner 1lb. All things being equal, that is worth at least a length over this sort of trip, and they are back off level weights here.
There is a chance this shorter trip over two miles is short of his best, but like the favourite, has won on his only visit to the track and showed enough speed to win the Henry II Stakes and Lonsdale Cup last season.
At the time of writing, the Gosdens are also operating at a substantially better strike rate than Aidan O’Brien, with 53 per cent of their runners over the past two weeks having won.
Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes - Wednesday
OPERA BALLO (3-1)
Charlie Appleby’s hugely talented son of Ghaiyyath can inflict a first defeat of Bow Echo’s career in the day two feature.
The four-year-old ran a huge race at Ascot in the Queen Anne Stakes. Having tanked along at the ahead of affairs, he was only narrowly caught in the final strides over a course and distance where it paid to be held-up virtually all week.
The yard are now in substantially better form and this track should suit him much better - it is worth remembering all three of his defeats have come on straight courses and he is unbeaten around a bend.
His emphatic pillar to post win over Field Of Gold whilst carrying a 5lb penalty after a 91-day break in April was hugely impressive and a similar performance could even be good enough to land this.
Having tipped him ante-post at 4-1, I have no reason to desert him here, with conditions set to suit, and he still looks value to me at a point shorter.
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Maison Perrier Gordon Stakes - Thursday
ENCELADUS (4-1)
An unexposed, progressive son of Sea The Stars moving up through the grades (and distance) for Joseph O'Brien, what is there not to like?
Admittedly, the Flaxman homebred will need to take another step forward on what is his first start in Pattern company, but his win in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot last time is top form and that was his first start over a mile and a half, and on fast ground.
Unbeaten in two starts as a three-year-old, I fancy him to land the hat-trick here in a race where several of his rivals, a couple of which are shorter in the market, have a point to prove after emphatic defeats, albeit at a higher level.
Bred to improve with age and distance, it goes without saying his superb trainer remains in top form and despite having work to do on ratings, can continue his progression and lay down a strong St Leger marker.
Geryon is interesting, with the form of his Curragh fourth working out extremely well, and he has since followed that up with an impressive Group Three win, but he is stepping up three furlongs in trip and is not sure to relish the distance like Joseph O'Brien's colt.
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Coral Golden Mile - Friday
INDALO (6-1)
It is hard to get away from Roger Varian's grey in Friday's Heritage Handicap.
Third in the Royal Hunt Cup last month, he finished first in his group on the far side, coming home just a length and a half behind Rogue Diplomat, who had a plumb draw in stall 33. I am confident he was comfortably the best horse in that race.
It was no surprise, therefore, that he justified favouritism to win at Sandown three weeks ago, a victory for which the handicapper has put him up 5lb.
He looks well-treated here under his 3lb penalty for that win, and last year's Cambridgeshire runner-up, who ran well in defeat at Goodwood last summer, gets his ideal conditions yet again.
In fact, since his fourth here in August, he has beaten 84 horses in five races, but has only won twice. Hugely consistent, it is hard to see him far away again for his in-form yard and he looks one of the best each-way bets of the meeting at his current odds.
Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes - Saturday
SANTORINI STAR (7-2)
The likeable Golden Horn mare Santorini Star put in a rare disappointing effort at Royal Ascot but can bounce back to form here against her own sex over a more suitable trip.
William Haggas's five-year-old began the campaign with a stylish win in the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket, doing her best work late on, and took another step forward when running Caballo De Mar to within a short-neck in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier over just shy of two miles at Longchamp.
Fitted with first-time cheekpieces in a strong Hardwicke Stakes last time, she used up plenty of petrol on the outside of runners and eventually coasted home to finish last.
Though she has a 3lb penalty to carry in this race, she is the only mare towards the top of the market with top notch form on good to firm ground.
The 1m6f is probably her optimum trip and she also won here in good style last season on her only previous visit to the course. She makes strong appeal at her current odds.
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