Puds has been in fine form this season, so looks the one to be on in the Stewards’ Cup consolation race over 6f that gets proceedings underway on Glorious Goodwood day 5 this Saturday (13:50).
This Richard Hughes trained four-year-old has taken his form to a new level this year, winning twice and finishing in the frame in all his four other starts.
His last success came over 5f at this venue three starts back where, after being held-up off the pace, he came with a strong late run to beat Just Glamorous by a nose.
Puds has since posted two really solid efforts over course and distance, finishing a 2 1/4 lengths second to Lake Volta and a 1 1/4 lengths runner-up to Richenze on unsuitable soft ground off a rating of 90 on both occasions.
This son of Bated Breath is able to race in this off an unchanged mark, so that gives him a big shout from a handicapping perspective at a track which clearly plays to his strengths.
The return to a quick surface is also a plus and jockey Shane Kelly has a 40 per cent strike rate on him, having won twice and been placed on three occasions from five starts.
Everything points to another bold bid, so at 12/1 with William Hill, who are paying five places, Puds looks decent each-way value in this wide-open affair.
Boy In The Bar appeals each-way under Moore
In a race where 24 are set to go to post and a case can be made for plenty, the Ian Williams trained Boy In The Bar also looks an each-way player at 10/1 with the same firm.
This eight-year-old has won once and been placed twice in five starts over course and distance.
Boy In The Bar was far from disgraced in this 12 months ago when a 4 1/4 lengths 10th of 19 to Tommy G off a mark of 84.
He is now able to race off 1lb lower and comes into the race having returned to form following a spell in the doldrums.
After finishing a 1 3/4 lengths second to Paddy Power over course and distance, Boy In The Bar showed a game attitude to go on better when staying on strongly to score by a neck at Ayr.
The son of Dutch Art has been put up 4lb for that, but a revised rating of 83 is just 3lb higher than when last successful and he remains well-treated on the pick of his form.
It’s also interesting that Ryan Moore, who partnered him in this last year, is now back in the plate for the first time since then. It suggests connections mean business and are expecting a big run from the veteran.
Outbox worth siding with in Summer Handicap
In the 1m 6f Summer Handicap (14:25), the lightly-raced Outbox makes plenty of appeal at the 8/1 on offer with BetVictor.
This Simon Crisford trained four-year-old made his belated debut a winning one in September of last year when scoring easily by 2 3/4 lengths at Ffos Las.
He then made all easing down when following-up at Leicester, before rounding off the campaign with a most taking display in a conditions contest at Newbury when beating Elegiac by three-quarters of a length.
The runner-up is a smart sort who has since won a Listed contest at Nottingham off an official rating of 104.
Aspetar, who was third, has won a Group 2 at Chantilly and finished a solid fourth to Coronet in a Group 1 at Saint-Cloud to be rated 112.
That gives the form a strong look and there was lots to like about Outbox’s return at action in June when collared close home and beaten a head by Funny Kid in a 1m 7f Listed contest at Chantilly.
Although he then failed to live up to expectations last time out when a keeping on 5 1/4 lengths sixth of 16 to King’s Advice in a Heritage Handicap at Newmarket, the son of Frankel was far from disgraced and now meets the winner on 7lb better terms.
Outbox also appeals as the type that has more to offer and may well end up a pattern race performer further down in the line. If that is to be the case, then his current mark of 102 looks exploitable.
Another plus is Outbox hails from a stable in fine form and operating at a strike rate of 44 per cent in the last 14 days at the time of writing.
Marhaba Milliar weighted to collect on Glorious Goodwood day 5
Newmarket handler John Gosden has his team in flying form and Marhaba Milliar looks to hold leading claims of providing him with another winner in the 7f Qatar Handicap (16:50).
This son of Kodiac improved in each of his three outings over 6f as a juvenile, winning his first two starts at Ascot and York in game fashion before going down by just a short-head to Naysalyer on handicap debut at Chelmsford.
He looked the type that would do even better as a three-year-old, and that view was confirmed when Marhaba Milliar ran on strongly to get the better of Motakhayyel on return to action at Yarmouth in June off a mark of 90.
The runner-up, to whom he was conceding 1lb, had won his previous start and went on to score next time up at Newmarket off a rating of 92.
That gives the form a solid look and suggests a 5lb rise in the weights for Marhaba Milliar may well be on the lenient side.
This Jabeer Abdullah owned colt also appeared to relish the step up to the 7f trip of this that day and there is undoubtedly better to come from him.
Marhaba Milliar is also three from three on the turf, and all those successes have come on the forecast fast ground.
With the flying Frankie Dettori now partnering him for the first time, there is simply nothing not to like about his chances.
Marhaba Milliar had to feature as a bet on Glorious Goodwood day 5 and round off another fabulous festival.
