HMS President in great form for the competitive Coral Summer Handicap

August 4

We were out of luck with Tritonic in today’s Goodwood Stakes, but hopes are high that HMS President can get us back on track in the mile and six furlong handicap on the final day of the ‘Glorious’ meeting at those famous Sussex Downs.

After the drenching earlier in the week, Goodwood have got off quite lightly these last couple of days, and, though rain is forecast to return on Saturday, underfoot conditions are not expected to be too testing.

Alan would not want the ground to deteriorate any more, but the HMS President syndicate have not been losing too much sleep as their consistent six-year-old, who has amassed his owners more than £200,000 in prize money, has won four races, and three of them were when the going was on the easy side.

Rossa Ryan knows HMS President well, and they teamed up successfully at Newmarket’s Guineas meeting. HMS President, who is having his 35th race, clocked up a career-best performance when beaten a neck by Irish raider Okita Soushi at Royal Ascot last time, and the fact that Alan has the Ebor Handicap at York still very much in mind suggests that even another 5lb up the handicap might not prevent our fellow from being in the mix.