IT will be an unusual Coral Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood this afternoon without Commanche Falls.

Michael Dods’ horse has won the last two renewals of the race, but he is basking in group race glory now and a handicap rating of 112 so, for the first time in three years, the race is going to have to go ahead without him.

It may still be that there will not be a new name on the trophy, mind you, because there is a case to be made for the 2018 winner Summerghand.

David O’Meara’s horse is nine now, but the handicapper has given him a bit of a chance, and he put up as good a performance as he has put up in a long time, last time at York in the Sky Bet Dash.

Held up early on that day, as is his wont, he raced in the smaller far side group in a race in which three of the first five home were drawn high and raced towards the near side.

He had to plot his way through traffic too, but he finished off his race well to take fourth place, less than two lengths behind Aberama Gold, with whom he is 4lb better off today.

He has run in the Stewards’ Cup every year for the last four years, his record in the race reads 4109, but he goes into the race this year in better form than he has since he won it in 2020, and, while he is nine now, he is 8lb lower now than he was when he was victorious.

Better proposition

That said, at a slightly bigger price, Juan Les Pins is a better betting proposition. Winner of his first three races after he joined Michael Appleby last year, he finished third behind Summerghand and Commanche Falls in the Ayr Gold Cup in September last year off a mark of 92.

An impressive winner of a six-furlong handicap at Nottingham on his third run this year off a mark of 91, he ran a big race in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot to finish third behind Saint Lawrence and Apollo One, when he had Mums Tipple a neck behind him in fourth.

He does have a neck to find with Apollo One on that run, but he meets him on 1lb better terms and, more importantly, he did well to get as close as he did at Ascot.

He was drawn towards the near side that day in stall 23, he raced in the near side group early on, he led that group through the first couple of furlongs, and he had to do a lot of running on his own towards the near side in order to bridge the gap to the far-side runners.

A 2lb hike was not harsh. He goes into today’s race in good form, coming from a race that is a good pointer to the Stewards’ Cup. He wouldn’t want the ground to get too soft, but ground close to good should be fine for him, and his high draw is probably a positive. And a fast-run, big-field six furlongs suits him ideally.

Lillie Langtry Stakes

You can understand why Free Wind is a short-priced favourite for the Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes.

She is a high-class filly, winner of the Lancashire Oaks last year – she did remarkably well to win that race after being badly hampered – and of the Middleton Stakes this year, and she proved her stamina for today’s trip when she won the Park Hill Stakes as a three-year-old.

But she is short, and she has to bounce back from a moderate run in the Hardwicke Stakes last time.

Luisa Casati has plenty to find on ratings, she is rated 10lb inferior to Free Wind, but she receives 3lb from her, and she could take a nice step forward now, stepping up in trip.

Tom Ward’s filly stayed on well to beat Time Lock in a listed race on easy ground over a mile and a half at Goodwood in May, with the pair of them coming nicely clear of their rivals.

She was beaten last time in the Lancashire Oaks, but the combination of a moderate pace and fast ground would not have been ideal for her, she was out-paced when they quickened, but she still kept on admirably to finish within four lengths of the winner Poptronic.

From the family of Doncaster Cup and Ascot Stakes winner Thomas Hobson, she should appreciate the step up to a mile and six furlongs for the first time today, and ground on the easy side of good should be ideal. She is one for one at the track, and she could out-run her odds by a little way.