2:30 Goodwood Tips

Merchant has improved with every start and looks to be worth his chance at Group level after winning a York handicap in May and following up in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot. This does not look the strongest of Group 3s, and he can bring up the hat trick.

Rain on the way could prove troublesome for Merchant, I feel, and with more than a few of these linked together quite closely, it certainly looks more open than the market suggests for win purposes. Sir Dinadan had me intrigued enough for a play, stepping down from his run in the Irish Derby. He ran a cracker there in a race that was won in a quick time. He’s potentially held by the O’Brien runner Galveston on form with Amiloc, but with him retaining blinkers and Aidan’s record in group races with headgear putting you off there, this horse could just be a different prospect with some dig in the ground, having won by 8L on soft as a 2yo. A repeat of that Irish Derby effort should see him involved in the shakeup.

I really do think that the win LTO at Sandown earlier this month was coming more so because of his effort at the same course back in April of this year. Has to be a contender despite going up in class.

Galveston won at Naas when getting blinkers for the first time and followed up with a good third in a G3 on GF at Ascot at 1m4f for the first time. He should still be improving, so he gets my vote for this one now second up at this trip while Ryan Moore is on a roll this month.

Been running well at this level. Gonna get his head in front soon, hopefully today. Won the Juddmonte off this mark.

This is a fascinating Group 3, and I think the rapidly improving Rahiebb might be the answer. He was behind Merchant in a top handicap at York on Dante Day, then found the trip in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot. Merchant won the King George V Handicap at the Royal Meeting, and you need to be Pattern class to win that race. The selection is eight pounds better off with Merchant from York, and that should prove decisive.

Merchant tops the boards on good form. Galveston represents the Aiden O'Brien yard and is on the upgrade. Too Soon appears a shrewd entry, having won over seven furlongs at Epsom. Has had a few runs over a few furlongs more than today's distance and showed some ability, handling the change in distance reasonably well. The G Moore yard has produced some good winners over today's distance.