Brussels needs career-best to win King George

Goodwood: Race 1 | 3yo+ 0-105 Handicap

DUKE OF OXFORD has some questions to answer.

It’s the furthest he’s ever raced over, it will be his first trip to Goodwood and he’s yet to win on turf.

That said, all of his wins so far have come over 3200m or further, so he’s certainly one of the more proven stayers in the field.

I’ve not ridden him before, so it’s hard to know too much, but he’s got a bit to do on paper.

Goodwood: Race 2 | G3 HKJC World Pool Thoroughbred Stakes

YAZIN was disappointing the last day at Sandown. He didn’t finish that race at all strongly and needs to bounce back.

Trip and track should be fine, but it’s hard to be too confident based on his last run.

Talk Of New York is the one we’ve all got to beat. There will be improvement to come from plenty of these being three-year-olds, but I’d be surprised if something can improve past him. He’s got the best form and should be hard to beat.

Goodwood: Race 3 | Golden Mile

BUNYOLA BAY won twice this season before stepping up markedly in trip for the Irish Derby.

On his two previous runs, the mile looks like a suitable trip for him, so hopefully he can bounce back.

Goodwood: Race 4 | G2 King George Stakes

BRUSSELS will need a career best to win this, but he ran well at the Curragh last time out against the older horses and he wasn’t ideally drawn that day.

He was a bit slowly away, and then being drawn on the wing didn’t make things easy, but he wasn’t far away at the finish, so that was promising.

He’s a bit of an outsider, but it’s a wide-open 1000m sprint where anything can happen. You could make a case for any number of them.

Goodwood: Race 6 | 2yo Handicap

This will be a typically wide-open race where you could make a case for a good lot of them.

I’ve not ridden DUBAI CHAMPION before, but he looks to be an improving type and is stepping up to 1200m here for the first time.

Hopefully he settles well and sees out the extra distance well.

Goodwood: Race 8 | 3yo+ Fillies & Mares 0-105 Handicap

ROOM FOURTEEN looks a nice ride to pick up for James Fanshawe. He’s won three of his four starts on turf this year and was second in the other one, all over trips close to 2000m, so he ticks a lot of boxes.

He’s up again in the handicap, so will have to take another step forward, but he looks like a nice three-year-old going the right way. Hopefully he can go close.