Boiling Point can secure victory in the Virgin Bet Celebration Mile Stakes (3.10pm) at Goodwood on Saturday afternoon. Karl Burke's five-year-old can score at the West Sussex track in the Group Two feature.
Boiling Point has done much of his recent running over longer than this mile trip, but the son of Too Darn Hot is certainly quick enough to land a first victory at Group Two level.
Course and distance winner
A winner over this course and distance in the Group Three Thoroughbred Stakes at the Glorious Goodwood Festival in 2024 when trained by Roger Varian, Boiling Point has rarely run a bad race since switching to Burke's Spigot Lodge stable in North Yorkshire. The entire was runner-up in the Group Three Sky Bet Strensall Stakes over 1m1f at York before landing the always-competitive bet365 Cambridgeshire over the same distance at Newmarket last October.
He won at Goodwood over 1m2f in May and ran well enough to be third and fourth at Epsom and Sandown respectively over the following two months. Boiling Point showed his liking again for the idiosyncratic Goodwood track when only beaten a neck into second by Galen in a 1m1f Conditions Stakes at last month's Qatar Glorious Goodwood Festival.
He is sure to be in the firing line again and with the drop back in trip no issue, Boiling Point may just get his head back in front.
Main danger
The Eve Johnston Houghton-trained Zavateri, with the three-year-old getting a weight-for-age allowance against his elders, is the main danger. The son of Without Parole won his first four career starts including over seven furlongs in the Group Two Vintage Stakes at last year's Glorious Goodwood meeting and the Group One National Stakes at the Curragh.
Things haven't gone to plan this year and he hasn't won in three starts, including when fifth over course and distance in the Sussex Stakes. He could bounce back, having also been fifth in the City Of York Stakes last week. But he may have to settle for minor honours behind Boiling Point.
A chance is taken that course specialist, David O'Meara's veteran Rhoscolyn, can bounce back to form and win the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Handicap (2pm). The eight-year-old has six wins at Goodwood and numerous placed efforts over the years at both this seven furlongs and a mile. He hasn't won since scoring over a mile at the Glorious Goodwood meeting in August last year. But he is down to 12lb lower than the mark he won off and although he has been down the field on all of his recent runs a return to Goodwood may spark a revival.
Other selections
Kevin Philippart De Foy's Tony Montana can also return to winning ways in the Virgin Bet A Good Bet Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (2.35pm). The six-year-old hasn't won since May 2024 but ran a fine race to be fourth over 1m2f at Goodwood last month and back up to 1m4f, he may be able to get his head back in front. Katie O'Neill's Naana's Sparkle can land another course and distance victory in the finale, the Virgin Bet Best Odds Daily Handicap (4.55pm).
Others who can triumph at Goodwood are Charlie Johnston's recent Newmarket runner-up Lily Pink in the British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies' Restricted Novice Stakes (Horses In Bands B, C & D) (1.25pm); the George Boughey-trained debutant Queen Of Scotland in the Darley EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes (GBB Race) (3.45pm); and Zachary Hickes – from the Roger Varian stable – in the Virgin Bet Daily Price Boosts Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (4.20pm).
At Sandown Varian's Rock Montreal can make it two from two starts in the Group Three BetMGM Solario Stakes (3.30pm). The Blue Point colt made a striking impression when winning comfortably at Yarmouth on his debut a couple of weeks ago. He can continue that progress stepped up to Group Three company and he looks an exciting prospect.
Calendar Girl can continue her fine form with a second win at Group Three level in the BetMGM Atalanta Stakes (2.50pm). Owen Burrows' three-year-old daughter of Advertise has won four of her five career starts and was runner-up on the other one. She won a big sales race over six-and-a-half furlongs at Doncaster last September and took the seven-furlong Group Three Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket on her final juvenile start last October.
She returned with a fine victory at Haydock Park at the start of the month, scoring well in the Listed Dick Hern Stakes. She can maintain her near perfect record with another success before potentially moving up to the top level in the autumn.
Trainer Alan King won the Ebor last weekend with Royal Ascot scorer Daiquiri Bay and he may have another Saturday success with Alcarath in the Zyn Frontrunner Finish Handicap (2.15pm). The four-year-old, who will be ridden by Oisin Murphy, was runner-up – not beaten far – over course and distance last time and the lightly-raced gelded son of Acclamation may be able to go one better.
Murphy may have a profitable afternoon at Sandown and he can also partner the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Desert Shadow to bring up a hat-trick of victories in the Download The Betmgm App Handicap (4.05pm) following successes at Lingfield and over course and distance recently.
Others who can triumph at the Esher track are the John and Thady Gosden-trained Thi Qar, who can go one better than when second on her debut at Newmarket in the Tattersalls £40,000 EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes (GBB Race) (1.40pm); Charlie Appleby's Noble Prince in the Orleans Nursery Handicap (4.35pm); and Marching Mac – from the Phil McEntee stable – in the finale, the Gamble Responsibly At BetMGM Handicap (5.10pm).
At Beverley Tim Easterby's Sunny Orange can land a first win since April in the Dearing Plastics Celebrating 40 Years Memorial Handicap (2.55pm) after several encouraging efforts at the Yorkshire track over the past few months. Others who can triumph at Beverley are Brian Ellison's course and distance winner Temple Of Athena in the opener, the Blink And You Miss It Handicap (1.45pm); the Charlie Johnston-trained L'Eagle Aid in the Napoleons Casino And Restaurant Hull Handicap (2.20pm); and another course and distance scorer, Glenfinnan – from the Michael Dods stable – in the Churchill Tyres Sprint Handicap (4.10pm).
At the Curragh Pat Twomey's Bosphorus Rose can win the Group Three Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes (Fillies & Mares) (3.40pm); while veteran course specialist Big Gossey may be able to defy top weight to land the Tote Irish Cambridgeshire (Premier Handicap) (4.15pm).
