Goodwood: A 4/1 Asset

July 31, 2007 - Janine Sorenson Tariq is an improving colt and will doubtless have plenty of supporters in the Betfair Cup on the first day of Glorious Goodwood on Tuesday. However, at 4/1 with Ladbrokes the Richard Hannon-trained Asset looks overpriced to my mind, and he gets the confident vote.
 
The four-year-old's campaign last term was cut short after he incurred an injury following his excellent when second to Jeremy in the Jersey Stakes, but he has acquitted himself extremely well in three starts so far this term, including two at the highest level.
 
The way he has been staying on over six furlongs the last twice, in the Golden Jubilee and most recently the July Cup, suggests to me that returning to an easy seven furlongs is just what the doctor ordered and, with the drying ground in his favour, the son of Marju can give weight and a beating to Tariq.
 
The latter is a highly progressive colt and it was impressive the way he quickened up to land the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot last time, pulling away inside the final furlong to beat the hot favourite US Ranger by two and a half lengths, clearly relishing the fast surface.
 
Having said that, the going was soft when he scored on his debut as a juvenile, so the slight ease in the ground at Goodwood needn't debar a bold show. But he's plenty short enough at around the 2/1 mark given that he's up against his elders on Tuesday and, although in receipt of 5lb, I reckon Asset will prove too strong.
 
Arabian Gleam ran an eyecatching race when staying on to fill the third spot behind Tariq at the royal meeting. Jeremy Noseda's charged bypassed the totesport International at Ascot on Saturday to have a crack at this and he has definite each-way claims, although he'll need to have improved a fair bit since Royal Ascot to come out on top in this Group 2 contest.
 
Australian import Mutawaajid wasn't disgraced when ninth in the July Cup on his UK bow and he has had more to time acclimatise so shouldn't be underestimated. Dunelight is a game front-runner who loves this track, but the main threat to the market leaders appears to be Royal Oath, who built on his Hunt Cup victory when chasing home the classy Cesare in this grade at Ascot last month.
 
Verdict: 1pt Asset @ 4/1 (Ladbrokes)

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