Can Emotionless get his career back on track at Goodwood?

PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Can Emotionless get back on track?

It seems a very long time ago that Emotionless was second favourite for the 2,000 Guineas and few would have expected August to be looming without this Champagne Stakes winner having got his head in front as a three-year-old.

Things have not gone smoothly for the son of Shamardal and having missed the Newmarket Classic, he could maage only fifth on his belated reappearence in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

Earlier this week, we saw Ulysses drop down in class and regain the winning thread and Charlie Appleby will be hopeful the same trick can work for Emotionless in the Group 3 Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes at 2.35.

Will the four-year-olds dominate the big sprint again?

One of the emerging subplots of this fascinating Flat season is the dominance of the four-year-olds in the year’s biggest sprint prizes.

Profitable has been a star for Clive Cox, landing the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, while that meeting’s other feature sprint, the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, went the way of fellow four-year-old Twilight Son.

The latter’s stablemate, Limato, also four, then put up a sensational performance to rout his July Cup rivals this month.

In Friday’s King George Stakes, Cotai Glory, Jungle Cat and Goken are four-year-olds representing that July Cup and King’s Stand Stakes form, while French raider Finsbury Square also represents the emerging golden generation.

Compensation for Namhroodah?

Namhroodah was first past the post at Ascot last week but that was far from the end of the story, with Jamie Spencer’s controversial ride leading to the four-year-old’s demotion to third.

Trainer James Tate is appealing against that decision but will be seeking more immediate compensation in the Listed Queens Plate Stakes (or the Oak Tree to you and me) on Friday.

Luke Morris takes the ride this time, having been awarded the race at Ascot following last week’s drama.

Doyle to all but seal jockeys title?

James Doyle has a full book of seven rides on the penultimate day of a meeting he has enjoyed so far, with four winners bagged already.

He leads the way in the jockey standings and one or two more winners would surely see him safely over the hills and far away going into the final stages.

fonte: RacingPost