Dave Metcalf has over 35 years of experience in the media industry having worked for regional and national newspapers. He is a life-long horse racing and football fan, and has done interviews on various radio and TV stations, including talkSPORT and Sky Sports, whilst working as a PR frontman for major betting firm Betfred.
Dave has written for At The Races, provided betting previews for the 2010 World Cup via a website he owned. It was the first time they had covered any football event. He also appeared weekly on Sing When You’re Winning – football and general sports betting show on MUTV to provide odds and tips alongside former Manchester United striker Lou Macari.
Classic winner will be suited by drop back in trip
The feature race at Glorious Goodwood on Wednesday is Group 1 Sussex Stakes (15:15). British and Irish 2000 Guineas winners Kameko and Siskin take each other on with the former taken to come out on top in mouthwatering renewal of the prestigious mile contest.
Trained by Andrew Balding, this Qatar Racing owned son of Kitten’s Joy won two of his four starts as a juvenile when improving with each outing.
In the last of those at Newcastle, Kameko quickened clear to impressively beat Innisfree by just over three lengths in the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy.
It was a most taking display and one which suggested he needed keeping firmly onside as a three-year-old. That view was confirmed when Kameko landed the first Classic of the season at Newmarket, the 2000 Guineas.
Under regular pilot Oisin Murphy, he raced in touch going well before staying on strongly inside the last to get up and beat Wichita by a neck.
Kameko had champion juvenile and the hitherto unbeaten Pinatubo a further length back in third. That one has since finished a fine length runner-up to Palace Pier in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot before landing a Group 1 in France.
Weight-for-age makes Kameko top rated in Sussex Stakes
It gives the form a solid look. Kameko has since been far from disgraced when a fast finishing six-length fourth to the enterprisingly ridden Serpentine in the Epsom Derby.
He was ridden conservatively that day by Murphy to try and get the 1m 4f trip and, like the rest of the field, allowed the winner too much rope.
It was still a fine run in defeat and Kameko is all about speed, so the drop back to a mile here is sure to suit.
He is also the second highest rated in the Sussex Stakes field off 119, just a pound lower than Circus Maximus and Mohaather who, as four-year-olds, have to give him 8lb.
It makes Kameko the one to beat based on his win in the 2000 Guineas. He can be backed at 4/1 with Betway to get back to winning ways and bag a third success at the highest level.
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The betting is headed by the aforementioned Siskin, a 9/4 shot with Boylesports, who bids to extend his unbeaten run to six.
After comfortably beating Harpocrates by 2 3/4 lengths on debut at Naas, this Ger Lyons trained son of First Defence took the step up into Listed company in his stride when quickening clear to easily account for King Of Neptune by 2 1/2 lengths in the Marble Hill Stakes.
Siskin then put up a most impressive display in the Group 2 Railway Stakes back at The Curragh, where he travelled strongly throughout before taking up the running two from home to winning easing down by 2 1/2 lengths from Monarch Of Egypt.
That win saw him sent off odds-on for the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at the same venue and, despite clearly hating the soft ground, the Khalid Abdullah owned colt showed a willing attitude to once again account for Monarch Of Egypt.
Although the winning margin was only three-quarters of a length on this occasion, Siskin was well on top at the finish and value for much more than the winning margin.
He has had just one run as a three-year-old and that saw him overcome all sorts of trouble in-running to land the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh.
After being held-up in mid division, Siskin was forced to weave through horses a furlong-and-a-half from home before showing a smart turn of foot to put the race to bed and beat Vatican City by a cosy 1 3/4 lengths.
It was a classy performance, given how the race panned out. Whether the form is as strong at the Newmarket equivalent won by Kameko is highly debatable, though. Hence, at the odds on offer, Siskin looks opposable on this occasion.
Mohaather the pick of older brigade in Sussex Stakes
Older horses are well represented, with Queen Anne winner Circus Maximus the pick of three raiders for Ballydoyle maestro Aidan O’Brien who is bidding to win the race for a sixth time.
However, Marcus Tregoning’s Mohaather had a luckless passage behind that rival when a five length fifth at the Royal meeting and is taken to reverse the form.
The four-year-old finished full of running that day and being constantly denied a clear run at vital stages and has since scored in sensational style in a Group 2 at the same venue when showing a devastating turn of foot.
That came in the Summer Mile where the Hamdan Al Maktoum owned son of Showcasing was held-up in midfield before looming up on the bridle two from home.
When asked to go about his business a furlong from home by Dane O’Neill, Mohaather responded instantly and showed an electric turn of speed to easily beat San Donato by just under four lengths.
It was a visually stunning display and there is no reason whatsoever why he should not confirm the form with the re-opposing runner-up, who was made to look very ordinary having previously finished a fine third to Persian King in a Group 1 at Longchamp.
Judged on the manner of that victory Mohaather should be more than capable of winning races at the highest level and can be backed at 11/4 with Betfred to do just that here. However, he has only had seven starts and clearly not been the easiest to train.
That raises a slight question mark as to whether this race will come too soon following his exploits at Ascot just 16 days ago. If that doesn’t prove to be the case, then his claims are obvious and he has to be feared.
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