Get Stirred up about UNSHAKABLE (20-1)

With James Fanshawe’s team firing on all cylinders, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the progressive Cesare has been well backed for Friday’s Totesport Mile at Glorious Goodwood, especially given that he’s proven on an easy surface.

However, at around the 9-2 mark he is way too short in a race this competitive, and a much more appealing betting proposition is UNSHAKABLE, who revels in testing conditions and looks a cracking each-way alternative at 20-1, which is generally available.

He is currently racing off his lowest handicap mark since 2002, and his most recent effort suggests that he’s ready to strike. That run came on the July course at Newmarket earlier this month where he fared best of those drawn low, finishing two-and-a-half lengths second to Kamanda Laugh. Considering that the winner was at an advantage from a high draw, Unshakable’s performance was all the more meritorious, and I’d expect him to readily turn the tables with Kamanda Laugh on 3lb better terms this time.

Of the others prominent in the betting, Pedrillo will be a danger to all if on song.

He landed a competitive little conditions race at Hamilton in a hat canter before heading for the annual cavalry charge that is the Cambridgeshire Handicap at Newmarket. He went off 7-2 clear favourite for that contest, but was never at the races and came home a well beaten 22nd.  He is better than that, obviously, but he has yet to prove himself in the hustle and bustle of big field handicaps and, on his first start for 300 days, this task will be tantamount to climbing Mount Everest, despite that fact that he hails from the shrewdest yard in town, that of Sir Mark Prescott.

Polar Magic was comprehensively beaten with no obvious excuses at Newbury last week when thirteenth behind New Seeker. He is certainly better than that effort, but even on the pick of his form he looks vulnerable, so I think he’s one to swerve.

Polar Magic’s stablemate Cesare was impressive when scoring on Lingfield’s Polytrack last time, beating the consistent Langford, who has ran well in defeat since. That followed two victories on easy going at Leicester and Ripon respectively, but he’s now 15lb higher than the mark off which he scored at the former track (including a 3lb penalty), so he certainly needs to have improved significantly since to justify his cramped odds in what is a much tougher race.

Helm Bank is a smart handicapper, who may still be ahead of the assessor given that he has very few miles on the clock. However, he’s a much better horse on top of the ground, so he’s passed over on that basis, while Willie Jarvis’ Momtic has rocketed up the ratings of late – he’s 11lb higher compared to when winning a farcical race at Epsom on his penultimate start – and will need to better his best by some way to prevail here.

All in all, Unshakable rates a strong each-way selection with conditions to suit. The only key consideration would be the draw. Ideally you want a high draw in this race. That said, it’s not an insurmountable task to win from a low berth, and I cannot see Unshakable finishing out of the money regardless of which stall he emerges from.

Betting verdict: 1pt e/w Unshakable @ 20/1 (Blue Square)