Glorious Goodwood - Day 2

The eagerly anticipated clash of top milers Canford Cliffs and Frankel dominates the card on day two at the Goodwood festival, with Sir Henry Cecil's undefeated three-year-old fancied to come out on top due to the generous weight allowance afforded the classic generation.
Grade One hurdles winner Spirit Of Adijisa is another classy performer on show as he takes on 19 rivals in the 21 furlong Goodwood Stakes.

Goodwood (good)
2.00 Goodwood Stakes (Class 2 handicap) 21f, 3-year-olds+ (20 runners)
Spirit Of Adijisa (Tim Vaughan/Ryan Moore) 5/1fav or L Frank Baum (Gay Kelleway/Jimmy Fortune) 40/1ew
A mixture of hurdlers and flat runners take on this grueling 21 furlong handicap with Tim Vaughan's Spirit Of Adijisa heading the market following success in a Grade One novice hurdle at Punchestown in May. L Frank Baum sits at the foot of the betting, but has run over a long distance before, unlike many others in the field.

2.35 Vintage Stakes (Group 2) 7f, 2-year-olds (7 runners)
Red Duke (John Quinn/Kieron Fallon) 11/4fav
Red Duke won the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket last time out and is fancied again ahead of the horse he beat that day Chandlery (Richard Hannon/Richard Hughes, 3/1)

3.10 Sussex Stakes (Group 1) 8f, 3-year-olds+ (4 runners)
Frankel (Sir Henry Cecil/Tom Queally) 8/11fav
The prominence of favourite Frankel and last year's victor Canford Cliffs forced a number of rivals to pull out, leaving only the brave Rio De La Plata and Rajsaman remaining as challengers. However, Sir Henry Cecil's 2000 Guineas winner receives eight pounds in weight from the field, which should allow him to make it eight victories from eight starts.

3.45 Class 2 handicap, 12f, 3-year-olds (12 runners)
Halifax (Mark Johnston/Kieron Fallon) 5/1fav or Sadler's Risk (Mark Johnston/Neil Callan) 8/1ew
After Namibian's success in the Gordon Stakes, Halifax's run behind him at Royal Ascot looks better than first thought. The drop back to a mile and a half should suit Mark Johnston's runner. Sadler's Risk finished just behind Irish Derby winner Treasure Beach in the Chester Vase, and despite conceding weight all round, could be a contender.

4.20 Maiden Stakes, 6f, 2-year-olds (13 runners)
Deduction (BW Hills/Michael Hills) 8/1ew

4.55 Classified Stakes, 7f, 3-year-olds+ (15 runners)
Shamandar (William Haggas/Ryan Moore) 7/1ew or Decent Fella (Andrew Balding/Liam Keniry) 9/1ew

5.30 Class 3 handicap, 9f, 3-year-olds+ fillies & mares (18 runners)
Musharakaat (Ed Dunlop/Richard Hughes) 16/1ew or Imaginary World (Alan McCabe/David Probert) 25/1ew

Tuesday's recap
A satisfactory start to the festival yielded two winners and two placings over the seven races on Tuesday. Strong Suit won the Lennox Stakes easily at 5/2, with Beacon Lodge running an excellent race in third at 16/1. Requinto could be one to watch for the rest of the season after edging out his rivals in the Molecomb at 6/1. Guest Book yielded a decent each-way return following a second placed finish in the 4.50 at 7/1. As for the rest of my selections, Modun performed brightest finishing second in the opening race of the day after going off the 7/2 favourite.