The Goodwood is the final Group 1 feature race of the Adelaide Autumn Carnival, and a classy field of sprinters has been confirmed to step out at Morphettville on Saturday.
Won by names like Black Heart Bart, Vega Magic, Santa Ana Lane and Trekking in recent years, The Goodwood has become a genuine target for serious sprinters, and an open edition of the $500k feature has materialised in 2023.
Who have I put on top? Read on to my 2023 The Goodwood Tips below to find out!
Suggested Bets
- 4 Units straight out #9 Lofty Strike
- Boxed Trifecta of the selections below
The Goodwood – Winner
In my opinion, he is just the best horse in The Goodwood field this year, and I think that Lofty Strike will break through for a deserved win at the highest level.
The Snitzel colt would have started favourite in the 2022 Neds Blue Diamond before an unfortunate injury ended his preparation prematurely, but he continued to stamp himself as a horse to follow during three credible spring starts.
He returned a winner this year in the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes at Sandown in February, and followed up that run with consecutive second placings in the Oakleigh Plate and the Newmarket Handicap.
Lofty Strike only managed to finish eighth in the TJ Smith Stakes at his latest appearance, but I like that he has been freshened since that run, and there is no doubt that this is a substantially weaker race.
Suggested Bet: No. 9 Lofty Strike
The Goodwood – 2nd
I think that the market just about has this correct, and Zapateo can run into The Goodwood quinella.
Zapateo has always been a consistent performer at metro grade since debuting, but she really does look to have gone to another level this time.
She recorded consecutive wins in the Birthday Card Stakes and Sapphire Stakes before flashing late to fill the minors in the Group 1 Robert Sangster here a fortnight ago.
This week sees her step out at full fitness, but just needs some luck in running after drawing the carpark.
Suggested Bet: No. 7 Zapateo
The Goodwood – 3rd
I’ve been with General Beau in each of his first two runs back this time, and I think that the $34 about him in The Goodwood betting (at publish) is overs.
The Brazen Beau gelding has been a great horse for Matty Ellerton throughout his career, and after a fair effort here at Morphettville first-up in the Irwin Stakes, he returned an improved performance to fill the minors in the DC McKay a fortnight ago.
He does have a few lengths to make up, but this is his major campaign target and at his best, I do believe that he is up to it.
Suggested Bet: No. 11 General Beau
The Goodwood – 4th
If Front Page were to ever win a Group 1 race, it’d surely be The Goodwood.
Trainer Geoff Duryea and connections knocked back plenty of lucrative offers from Hong Kong earlier in his career, and Front Page has picked off some nice races throughout, including the lucrative Kosciuszko last spring.
He clearly needed his first two runs back this time in the Newmarket Handicap and William Reid Stakes for fitness, and he returned from a freshen-up to only just miss in the Wagga Town Plate earlier this month.
I’m expecting that run to have brought him right on, and I think he can fight out the finish again this week!
Suggested Bet: No. 1 Front Page