Horses to follow from Goodwood: "my outstanding eyecatcher of the week"

My outstanding eyecatcher of the week. 

She got very warm and fizzy in the pre-parade ring and drifted in the market given her antics pre-race. However, she was still dazzling on the track. Despite being bumped at the start and pulling hard, she powered clear in the closing stages to record a two and a half-length success. She is versatile regarding rhe ground and looks an upwardly mobile sprinter. 

Winless since May last year, but this was a monster effort in defeat. 

Held up in the opening stages having been slow away, she absolutely thundered home to finish fifth having also been snatched up late on when in full flow. She clearly is a mare who will be suited by a stronger gallop and she is one to note for the rest of the season. 

Connections were concerned that Goodwood would not suit the Aussie sprinter and that is how it panned out in the King George Qatar Stakes. Whilst market rival Big Evs made an electric start and effectively was let rip by Tom Marquand on the downhill run, Asfoora got unbalanced early and did not look at home on the track. 

When she finally managed to run on, she received a bump from eventual fourth Live In The Dream which again stunted her momentum before she flashed home to be denied by a short-head. Her rivalry with Big Evs now reads 1-1 and she will be much more at home on a galloping track at York.

A second and a third within the space of four days at Glorious Goodwood for Billyjoh and he shaped with stacks of promise on both occasions, particularly when a good third in the Stewards’ Cup. Drawn in stall 4 for the ultra-competitive handicap, four of the first five home were drawn in the mid 20s which highlights the brilliance of his effort. 

Having been travelling off the pace, I was impressed with the turn of foot he showed in the closing stages and this effort needs marking up. 

For many, his defeat in this Conditions event would have proved a disappointment but there was still cause for optimism. 

This trip of one mile and a furlong was ultimately just too short as he took a while to get rolling on the downhill run. He clearly is a horse with stacks of talent and, if able to get his act together over 10 or 12 furlongs, there is a big prize in him.