Horsebetting.com experts give their 2018 Golden Mile Handicap betting tips on day four of Glorious Goodwood. The David O’Meara trained Escobar is in good form and rates the main bet to land the valuable prize on Friday, 3 August. His stablemate Firmament also holds leading each-way claims, along with the Michael Bell trained Fire Brigade who looks overpriced at the odds on offer. For full details on these horses’ chances, read our in-depth 2018 Golden Mile Handicap betting tips preview.
Escobar can cross the line first in Golden Mile Handicap
Escobar has returned to form since joining trainer David O’Meara and looks worth a wager to land the big betting race at Glorious Goodwood on Friday, the ultra-competitive Golden Mile Handicap (15:00). This gelding has some smart form as a juvenile when in the care of Hugo Palmer, winning twice and finishing third in a Group 3.
His form then tailed off badly and he failed to live up to the lofty expectations that connections once held. However, Yorkshire-based O’Meara quickly found the key to him and Escobar came good at the third time of asking for him when impressively when coming from off the pace and quickening smartly to score easily by two lengths at Haydock in June off a mark of 95.
The four-year-old backed that up with a solid 11th of 30 in the Royal Hunt Cup off 4lb higher and also ran a blinder last time out when second of 15 to Tigre Du Terre, having been raised another 7lb to 102. Escobar stuck to the task really well to go down by 1 3/4 lengths.
It was a fine effort as he was rated just 4lb higher than the winner, but had to give him 13lb as the result of that rival being a three-year-old. That suggests that Escobar potentially well-treated in this off an unchanged mark, and he is officially 2lb well-in at the weights as he is due to race off 104 in the future.
He has also been rated as high as 106 in the past, so is undoubtedly weighted to go well. Jockey Danny Tudhope also greats a great tune out of him having won once and been placed twice in three starts.
Escobar has also bagged a good low draw in stall two and is a strong travelling sort with a good turn of foot. He looks to have the perfect profile for the race, so there rates our main bet to plunder the valuable prize.
Firmament another O’Meara inmate with claims
O’Meara also saddles Firmament, who has been a costly horse to follow and often finds trouble in-running. He is also on a long losing run, but is very well-treated on the pick of his form if the cards finally drop right, so is well worth considering each-way.
This six-year-old was last successful a competitive 20-runner affair at York back in August 2016 off a mark of 96. He did, however, post some solid efforts in defeat last season – finishing third in a Listed contest at Ascot off an official rating of 109 and a fine five-length eighth of 20 to Lord Glitters in the Balmoral Handicap off the same mark at the Berkshire venue.
Firmament is now able to race off a reduced rating off 99 and comes into the race on the back of two decent runs, finishing a close up sixth to Burnt Sugar in the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket and a 3 1/2 lengths 12 of 27 to the same rival in the International Stakes at Ascot.
Both those races were over 7f and the step back up to 1m in this is a plus as all his four career successes have come over it. So, with the yard going well, Firmament looks a fascinating contender at the weights and an each-way player in a typically fierce renewal where a case can be made for many and some bookmakers offer enhanced place terms.
Fire Brigade odds also appeal each-way
Another that appeals as an each-way bet at the odds on offer is the Michael Bell trained Fire Brigade. This gelding is also on a handy mark and is now reunited with jockey William Buick, who is one from one on him.
The four-year-old progressed through last season when winning four times and his last success came off a rating of 94 at Leicester in October. Prior to that, he ran a cracker when sent off a heavily-backed 7/2 joint-favourite and finishing a half-a-length third of 16 to the now very smart Addeybb in the Silver Cambridgeshire at Newmarket.
That effort showed that Fire Brigade is effective in big fields and the son of Firebreak has showed his current mark of 87 is workable, having finished runner-up off it at Haydock two starts back. He was given a break after that for a wind operation and wasn’t knocked about on his return to action last month when a promising 3 1/2 lengths eight of 14 to Humbert at Newcastle.
Firebreak is sure to strip much fitter for that spin and looks to have been primed for this, so looks more than capable of outrunning his odds and making his presence felt at the business end of affairs. He’s our each-way option among 2018 Golden Mile Handicap betting tips.Your Next Bet
