08:42 It has been dry overnight and the going is now Good to Firm.
The going stick reading at 8:15 is:-
Straight Course: Stand side 8.8, Centre 9.5, Farside 9.0
Round Course: 9.3
We currently have six non-runners and the action on this Alice In Wonderland themed day gets under way at 14:10.
09:32 The number of non-runners is bound to increase, just keep an eye on the list on the right.
12:42 Good afternoon from a sunny Ascot and day three of the Betfair Festival.
It is a lovely sunny afternoon and we currently have nine non-runners.
13:39 Absolute joy – the cold curried chicken is back on the menu again today. What more can a chap ask for, Ascot, sunshine and a curried chicken salad ….. can it get any better?
13:46 More pronunciation nightmares for Richard Hoiles this afternoon. The old campaigner Matsunosuke is running in the last.
For years Richard and his colleagues have been calling the horse mat-sun-oh-sookey and nobody has complained.
Apparently, however, the name is Japanese and it is a type of Koi carp and it is pronounced completely differently than the Anglicised version heard on racecourses.
Unfortunately, for Richard that is, this afternoons final race is sponsored by the Japan Racing Association and he has been asked to use the correct Japanese pronunciation in commentary.
So not only does he have to learn a strange pronunciation he has to remember it in a 19 runner sprint.
Rather him than me.
14:07 Talking of tongue twisters, our opening contest is the nattily named The EBF GL Events Owen Brown Crocker Bulteel Maiden Stakes a six furlong contest for two year olds who are all seeing the racecourse for the first time.
Going through the eight runners:-
Abadejoi – on his toes and getting warm
Apollo D’Negro – nice looking, relaxed
Escholido – Fly kicking when he first came into the parade ring, calmed down a bit later on
Gekko – two handlers, on toes and swishing his tail
Go – nice looking, very relaxed, the paddock pick
Juarla – nice looking, relaxed
Malthouse – quite relax but trainer does not have a great record with first time runners
Plenty Power – nice looking and relaxed
14:11 All eight debutants have gone to post steadily.
14:14 Juaria has just been withdrawn at the start.
14:31 An interesting contest.
Jurala was withdrawn at the start on veterinary advice.
Escholido, despite being on his toes in the ring, was much more impressive on the track, setting the pace along with Gekko.
The remainder were with the pace, apart from Abadejo who ran green.
As I mentioned earlier Mark Johnston isn’t known for first time juvenile winners, however Malthouse was very impressive. Settled third or fourth by Richard Hills he asked for an effort inside the final two furlongs and by a furlong out he was clear in front.
Nothing was able to go with him and he came home a comfortable 2¾ length winner and went into many notebooks with the impressive manner of his victory.
Escholido held on for second with the favourite, Apollo D’Negro a running on third.
Considering how green he was in the parade ring Escholido must also be one for the notebook.
14:41 Race two is The Turf TV Maiden Filies’ Stakes to be run over the straight mile with nine going to post.
Paddock negative is Queenie’s Star, very much on her toes, fighting her handler and swishing her tail.
Child Of Our Time is a little bit on her toes and Youm Al Mizayin is a bit of a head shaker.
Shamardal Phantom and Sennockian Storm looked best.
15:01 For most of the contest it looked as though we were heading for a Mark Johnston double as Joe Fanning set out to make all on Sennockian Storm and it looked like a winning tactic as the rivals fell away leaving only the favourite Ishraaqat the only danger.
Sennockian Storm was proving difficult to pass, as the favourite came upsides the leader seemed to dig in deeper, battling to retain her lead.
However Ishraaqat was equally dogged and Richard Hills pushed her on to take up the running inside the final half furlong, eventually recording a ¾ length victory.
The pair came home three lengths clear of third placed Shamardal Phantom, who was making her debut. She had attracted some decent each-way money before the off and is bound to come on for the run and is another for the notebook.
Another debutant who will come on for the run is Dazzle The Crowd, green in the early exchanges but the penny dropped late on and she was a fast finishing fourth.
15:17 A much easier race name for our third contest, the Turftv Handicap, a six furlong contest, with eight going to post.
Avow is slightly on his toes and it getting warm in the parade ring, also getting warm is Erebus.
Slip Sliding Away has two handlers and Dungannon is swishing his tail.
Kanaf and Alkhataaf are the eye-catchers.
15:35 No Richard Hills treble, despite him being on the favourite. Kanaf was held up and looked to be a difficult ride, he did run on for pressure in the closing stages but was only able to come home a never nearer fourth.
The only filly in the contest, Perfect Ch’i, was best away and led for the first couple of furlongs before ceding the advantage to Erebus, who opened up a decent lead.
Alkhataaf and Perfect Ch’I were in next rank, although the latter was soon to come under pressure.
Dungannon emerged as the first challenger to Erebus but it was Slip Sliding Away who ran on best in the closing stages, passing the front duo inside the final half furlong to record a half length victory.
Dunganon came home second with Erebus only able to come home for third placed prize money.
The winner was bred by commentator Simon Holt.
15:55 So on to the second half of this afternoons racing and we move to the round course for the first time this afternoon.
The 1m 2f Sodexo Prestige Handicap sees just seven competing for the £6,044 first prize.
I managed to catch six of the seven in the parade ring, Mabuya was late coming out.
King’s Measure was slightly on his toes and Dishdasher was attempting to pull his handlers ams out.
Seeking The Buck was well chilled and The Which Doctor also caught the eye.
15:57 Mabuya has now emerged and is being taken very slowly to post
16:12 Only seven runners and this turned into something of a tactical contest.
Kings Masque and Seeking the Buck were in the front rank, with Dishdasher and Pendragon second rank, The Which Doctor and Credit Swap next with Mabuya trailing them.
The pace was steady and there was no change in the order until they were two out.
Seeking The Buck suddenly injected some extra pace and went clear in front. John Fahy on Pendragon spotted the move and went in pursuit but Jamie Spencer on The Which Doctor seemed to miss the move and by the time he responded he had a lot to do.
Meanwhile Pendragon had hit the front with a well timed run, recording a 1½ length victory over Seeking The Buck.
The Which Doctor was running on best of all in the closing stages and was eating up the ground but having been left too much to do was only able to get within a neck of the runner-up.
16:29 Our penultimate contest is our longest race of the afternoon, the 1½ mile Rendezvous Casino Handicap in which eleven have a shot at the £20,251 first prize.
Sandor was pulling and getting warm in the parade ring, whilst Ouster was getting warm.
Jawaab and Opera Gal were both pulling slightly.
Quinsman was relaxed and Stanstill also looked a nice sort.
Opera Gal carries 2lb overweight.
16:47 Mark Johnston is hitting top form just before his favourite meeting of the year at Goodwood.
Bay Willow made all to take this mile and a half contest holding off Opera Gal, who was with him throughout, and the running on Sandor.
The second and third were having a ding dong battle and even judge Dave Smith, not renown for referring to the camera had to have a long hard look before awarding the runners up spot to Opera Gal.
Also to the fore was the hard pulling Stanstill but he was pulling far too hard for his own good and although with the leaders for most of the contest it was no great shock when he ultimately finished last.
Red Merlin made some eye catching progress half a mile from home only to quickly drop out again.
High Office made some eye catching progress around half way but had to settle for fifth place in the end.
Question did Opera Gal's 2lbs overweight cost her the race?
17:06 A nightmare contest to finish proceedings this afternoon with 19 lining up for the 5f Japan Racing Association Sprint Stakes.
Then again it could be worse as there were 22 runners.
A couple of weight notices Hoh Hoh Hoh carries 1lb overweight and Secret Millionaire carries 3lbs overweight.
17:26 It was no surprise there was a split in the final contest, what was surprising was the manner of the split with the overwhelming majority of the field going down the centre with just five coming stands side.
However it was the stands side runners who prevailed with Masamah making all down the stands rail coming home a length clear of Matsunosuke.
Another what if for third place as Secret Millionaire came home third with the 3lb overweight and Prohibit took fourth.
17:28 Well that’s it from the three day Betfair meeting, a great contest with the highlight being Harbinger’s King George win yesterday.
Our next live coverage will be from day one of Glorious Goodwood on Tuesday, until then good evening.
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