SEAGULLS Eleven has plenty in his favour in this afternoon’s Group 2 Virgin Bet Celebration Mile at Goodwood.

He is proven at Goodwood and he is proven on soft ground, and he is proven on soft ground at Goodwood, and that could be a big asset today if the rains arrive.

Hugo Palmer’s horse was a high-class juvenile, he finished third in the National Stakes and he finished fourth in the Dewhurst, and he put up his best performance last year as a three-year-old when he won the Group 3 Thoroughbred Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

He made just about all the running that day, and he kept on well to win nicely. He only got home by three-parts of a length from Diego Ventura, but it always looked like he was holding that rival, he left the impression that he had more in hand than the winning margin. He proved that day that he could operate at Goodwood, and on soft ground at Goodwood, over today’s course and distance.

He was well beaten in the valuable Golden Eagle at Randwick on his final run last season, but he recovered from his travels quickly, and has taken his form to a new level this season as a four-year-old.

Just beaten in a Group 2 race at Saint-Cloud on his seasonal return, he went one better in a listed race at Deauville next time, before going to Epsom on Derby day and winning the Group 3 Diomed Stakes.

Prominent from early that day, he was able to bag the stands’ rail in the home straight, and he battled on gamely to get home by the bob of a head from Persica, the winner of that race the previous year, who enhanced the form too in his next couple of runs. Two lengths behind in third place that day was Boiling Point, who re-opposes today on the same terms.

Better performance

Seagulls Eleven probably put up an even better performance in defeat next time, when he went down by a half a length and a head to Zeus Olympios and Holloway Boy in the Group 2 Summer Mile at Ascot.

After fly-leaping a little at the start, he moved up nicely to hit the front at the furlong marker, before getting overhauled inside the final furlong by the winner and the second, who both made full use of the cutaway in mounting their respective challenges towards the far side, but there was a lot to like about the manner in which he rallied close home.

Those two both enhanced the form of the race subsequently, Zeus Olympios running the French Guineas winner Rayif to a neck in the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois, when he had Precise three-parts of a length behind him in third, and Holloway Boy winning a listed race at Pontefract next time.

Back in fourth at Ascot too was More Thunder, runner-up in the Lockinge Stakes, runner-up in the Queen Anne. It is high-class form.

You have to allow Seagulls Eleven his latest run, but that was in the Sussex Stakes, taking on Bow Echo and Gstaad, which was probably just a step too far. Also, Oisin Murphy eased off once his winning chance had gone, and he came home showing signs of ataxia. As long as he is fully recovered from that, he could run a big race today, in a race that has probably been on his radar for a while.

Zavateri is a big danger, he is classy, he won the National Stakes last year and he finished fifth in the Sussex Stakes last month, and he proved his ability to operate at Goodwood when he won the Vintage Stakes last year, but he is short and, at a bigger price, Seagulls Eleven is the bet.

Atalanta Stakes

Earlier in the day, Secret Of Life could be the answer to the Group 3 BetMGM Atalanta Stakes at Sandown.

This is obviously a step up in grade for Ralph Beckett’s filly, but she is three for three now, and there is no knowing how good she could be.

Winner of a maiden at Wolverhampton last August on her only run at two, and an impressive winner of a novice stakes at Haydock on her debut this season, she improved again last time in winning the Listed Coral Distaff over today’s course and distance on Eclipse day.

She led from flagfall that day, and it never looked likely that she would be caught. She kept on well to come home almost three lengths clear of Silenciosa, with Estissa another neck back in third. The runner-up was well beaten by Calendar Girl in the Listed Dick Hern Stakes at Haydock next time, but Estissa ran well to finish third in a listed race at York next time.

This is another step up in grade for Secret Of Life, and she has 9lb to find on official ratings with the top-rated filly in the race, but she has raced just three times, she has the potential to progress again.

And also, she is one for one at the track, she put up her best performance over this course and distance last time, and she shouldn’t mind too much if the rains come. It was soft when she won at Haydock.

Secret Of Life, 2.50 Sandown,

7/2 (generally), 1 point win

Seagulls Eleven, 3.10 Goodwood, 4/1 (generally), 1 point win