Goodwood, Friday 22 May 2026: Full Card Tips

Goodwood, Friday 22 May 2026: Full Card Tips

Goodwood kicks off its summer programme under partly cloudy skies with good to soft ground underfoot. That going is the key variable across the card: it will sort out those with genuine class and soft-ground credentials from the all-weather specialists who look tidy on paper but fade when the turf gets testing. Seven races, plenty of angles. Let’s get into it.

1:57 — Soil Association 80th Anniversary Conditions Stakes (6f, 3 runners)

Three runners, so no each-way betting makes sense here. The market has this almost as a match between Night In Vegas and Love Is, and on ratings the filly holds the edge: an RPR of 93 and TS of 85 puts her ahead of the colt on both raw figures.

Selection: Love Is (6/4, Boyle Sports)

Richard Hughes sends this Sioux Nation filly in on the back of a smooth debut win at Windsor over the same six furlongs on good to firm ground. The step to good to soft is a small question, but her pedigree as a half-sister to four winners suggests she handles a variety of conditions. She picked up well from the back at Windsor and that style of racing can work in her favour if Night In Vegas finds the front as expected. Charles Bishop’s mount won at Ascot and is not without merit, but Love Is carries a 5lb allowance and the higher ratings. Richard Hughes has the yard in decent nick at 5/26 over the past fortnight. At 6/4, this is not spectacular value, but in a small field she looks the right horse.

2:32 — British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes (5f, 9 runners)

Selection: Lazurite (11/10, Boyle Sports)

Normally odds-on shots in novice company would not excite, but Lazurite comes here with a compelling profile. She went down by only half a length at Newmarket on Guineas day over five furlongs on good to firm, racing from the front and holding every challenger bar one. That form has substance: the winner at Newmarket looked useful. Richard Hughes, who trained this filly’s dam to Listed success during his own riding career, clearly has a personal interest in getting this right. The good to soft ground today should not be an issue, and she is stepping back to five furlongs where she performed so promisingly. The big danger is Blushrose, a K R Burke newcomer with strong breeze-up credentials and an 82,000 euro purchase price, but an unknown debut runner is a riskier proposition than a filly who has already shown genuine Group-race potential. Magic Effort carries a penalty and the apprentice claim partly offsets it, but the Newmarket win was narrow and Lazurite has the better form on the same course at the same trip.

3:07 — Track Radio Handicap (2m, 5 runners)

Selection: St Mawes (2/1, Boyle Sports/Betfred)

The staying handicap is a fascinating puzzle. Give It To Me Oj has won six of seven at his best but has been well beaten in three hurdle outings since that golden spell, and going beyond a mile and a half on the Flat is uncharted territory. Bahadur completed a hat-trick on the all-weather but settling issues are flagged, and two miles on good to soft turf is a very different test. St Mawes ticks multiple boxes. Emma Lavelle’s gelding won at Kempton over two miles and at Nottingham on good going, then finished a close third over course and distance at Goodwood three weeks ago on good ground. He goes well here, stays the trip, and is on an upward curve. That recent Goodwood run tells you he handles this course. He can race a touch freely, which is something to monitor, but Sean Levey should be able to manage that. At 2/1, this is a competitive price in a five-runner heat where two of the rivals have significant question marks. Caprelo is interesting at 8/1 on the back of AW improvement that has yet to transfer to turf, and is worth a second look each-way if you want to cover bases.

3:42 — British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Handicap (1m4f, 10 runners)

Selection: Sibling Rivelry Each-Way (9/2, Boyle Sports/Betfred)

This fillies’ handicap has a proper contender in Sibling Rivelry. David Simcock’s four-year-old won at Windsor over eleven and a half furlongs last week on her seasonal debut, taking her turf record to two wins from three starts. She won over course and distance at Goodwood last August, so she knows the track and handles a mile and four furlongs well. The penalty has pushed her future handicap mark up by only one pound, suggesting the assessor did not regard the Windsor win as a fluke. She is unraced on soft or heavy, but good to soft should not be an obstacle. The yard is ticking along at 1/12 over the past fortnight, which is not explosive, but Marco Ghiani is a reliable partner. Orionis is the market leader and William Haggas can do no wrong with fillies, but she has never raced on soft ground and the cheekpieces are removed today. At 9/2, Sibling Rivelry with each-way cover in a ten-runner field paying three places looks excellent value. Miss Dolly Rocker is interesting at 10/1 with a course win on her record and a drop in class, worth noting each-way.

4:17 — Fitzdares Festival Stakes (Listed, 1m2f, 9 runners)

Selection: Haatem (7/2, Boyle Sports/Betfred)

The Listed race is the feature of the afternoon and Haatem makes plenty of sense. Richard Hannon’s five-year-old has form on all types of ground, which is a significant positive on today’s good to soft surface. His CV reads impressively: Vintage Stakes winner at Goodwood as a two-year-old, two Royal Ascot wins, and the Wolferton over this distance at Listed level last year. He knows Goodwood and he knows this trip. His most recent run is a slightly below-par sixth, but before that he won over course and distance at Royal Ascot and has never been worse than fifth in Listed or higher company at this trip. Richard Hannon’s yard is operating at 8/53 over the past fortnight, which is not outstanding, but Sean Levey has ridden this horse well before. Ice Max is respected, having won the Celebration Mile here and finished a creditable third at Chester recently, but he carries a penalty and is making his way up in distance. Boiling Point has the highest RPR in the field and K R Burke’s yard is firing, but his Group-level form this term has not matched his best handicap efforts. Enfjaar after a ten-month break is the main concern. Haatem at 7/2 on a track where he has won twice represents fair value in an open Listed race.

4:52 — Edward Bulmer Natural Paint Handicap (7f, 15 runners)

Selection: Seven Questions Each-Way (7/2, Boyle Sports/Betfred)

Big field, seven furlongs, and a handicap with a genuine angle. Seven Questions is on a mark that looks lenient given his Group 3 win, and Robert Cowell’s team has managed him carefully. His Class 2 efforts this term have been respectable. The key detail here is Jamie Spencer taking the ride for the first time as the owner’s regular jockey. That partnership change in a drop from Class 2 to Class 3 is a significant signal. He acts on any ground, so good to soft is no barrier. At 7/2 for a fifteen-runner handicap paying four places, each-way looks the play. Oliver Show at 5/1 has ability on his day but the losing run is getting long, and Crimson Spirit at 8/1 has a hat-trick on his record and some decent form at seven furlongs, worth a mention for those who want a wider spread.

5:27 — Sustainable Food Trust Handicap (5f, 10 runners)

Selection: Dream Composer (11/4, Boyle Sports/Betfred)

Tony Carroll’s veteran is a dual Goodwood winner and arrives here after opening his 2026 account at Ripon on good going. The stable is running hot at 10/44 over the past fortnight, which is a strong strike rate for a handler who sends out plenty of runners. The horse won five furlongs at Goodwood before and won on seasonal debut at Ripon when five pounds lower and with the claimer’s allowance. This is stiffer, but he is well treated on his best form and the course form counts for a lot over the Goodwood five, which has its own rhythm. Canon’s House at 4/1 is the main threat, having gone close at Beverley and reverting to no headgear today, which the Spotlight suggests could help. Seven Questions in the previous race takes a lot of beating if firing, but in this sprint, Dream Composer’s track record and trainer form make him the call.

Today’s NAP