DAL Harraild could be the answer to the one-and-a-half-mile handicap at Goodwood this afternoon.

William Haggas’ horse has a head to find with Shabbah on their running at Ascot last time, but there are two elements that should allow him close the gap. Firstly, he is 1lb better off for that head, and secondly, and way more importantly, he didn’t have the run of the race at Ascot, whereas Sir Michael Stoute’s horse had.

Ted Durcan was allowed set his own pace on Shabbah in front, he was able to dictate a sedate pace. Consequently, the prominent racers were at an advantage, while the hold-up horses were disadvantaged.

Dal Harraild was held up out the back of the field, last of the nine runners through the early stages of the race. Checked briefly at the two-furlong pole when Pat Cosgrave wanted to go forward, he finished off his race best of all to take third place, just a head and the same behind Manjaam and Shabbah.

It never really looked like he would catch Manjaam, but he showed a fine turn of foot and a lot of ability to get as close as he did.

The handicapper raised him 3lb for that run, which was a little disappointing, but he still shapes like a well-handicapped horse on a mark of 98. A progressive juvenile last season, he was well beaten on his debut this term at Sandown, but that was on soft ground. He bounced out of that when he moved onto better ground and stepped up to a mile and a half in early June at Musselburgh, running out an impressive winner from St Michel.

St Michel has won twice and finished second twice in four runs since, and is now rated 17lb higher than he was then. Dal Harraild himself is now rated 11lb higher but that Musselburgh run was just his sixth ever run, he still has lots of scope for progression. He will love the ground, a mile and a half is his trip, he is nicely drawn in stall two and William Haggas’ horses continue to be in good form.

As well as that, he should get the fast pace today that suits his running style well. Unlike the Ascot race last time, there is plenty of pace in this race with Regal Monarch, Soldier In Action and Knights Table all inclined to go forward, as well as Shabbah. Odds of 6/1 about him are fair.

DANCING STAR’S ODDS

Odds of around 6/1 are also fair about Dancing Star in the Stewards’ Cup. At first glance, those odds are short enough for any horse in a 28-runner handicap, but Andrew Balding’s filly is just a seriously progressive sprinter who could still have a considerable amount in hand of the handicapper and the Stewards’ Cup is a race that has tended to go to the form horses of late.

Winner of just one of her three races last season as a juvenile, Dancing Star has cut loose this term at three, winning three of her four races and just getting caught by Mr Lupton in the big Charity Sprint Handicap at York on her only defeat.

She put up her best performance yet last time at Newmarket, showing a really nice turn of foot to catch Priceless before going on to win by three-quarters of a length from her, with Mont Kiara two lengths back in fifth.

That race is working out well already. Mont Kiara came out and won a good handicap two weeks later back at Newmarket off a 1lb higher mark, beating Priceless by a head.

Dancing Star was raised 7lb for that, but she races under a 6lb penalty today, so she is 1lb well-in. However, far more important than that is the fact that she has the potential to go higher even than her new mark.

Three-year-olds are not prolific in the Stewards’ Cup, but it is difficult for three-year-olds to get into the race – the Aqlaam filly has just scraped into the race, number 28 of 28 – and Magical Memory won it as a three-year-old last year.

Also, natural inclination is to think that a 28-runner handicap is a race for shock results but nine of the last 13 winners were sent off at 10/1 or lower, and seven of them were 7/1 or lower. It is a race in which it has not paid of late to drift too far from the top of the market.

Dancing Star goes on any ground and her draw in stall four is perfect. Low numbers are usually advantaged on the straight track at Goodwood and they had the upper hand in the two sprints there yesterday.

RECOMMENDED

DAL HARRAILD, 1 point each-way, 6/1 (generally)

DANCING STAR, 1 point each-way, 13/2 (generally)