Sussex Stakes Betting Preview

Coronation Stakes heroine Nannina could bid to become the fourth filly since 1988 to land the Cantor Spreadfair Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on August 2, for which she is a best-priced 5/1 with Stan James. Marling (1992), Sayyedati (1995) and most recently Soviet Song in 2004, have demonstrated girl power in this valuable one-mile Group 1 contest in recent years.Nannina bounced back from her below par effort in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket in May with a thoroughly convincing display to beat Flashy Wings by two lengths at Royal Ascot, seemingly winning with more in hand than official margin of success suggests.The daughter of Medicean will need to be supplemented for this race, and connections may delay their final decision over her participation until after her next planned outing in the Falmouth Stakes on July 12, a race Soviet Song won en route to landing the penultimate running of the Sussex Stakes.The latter also won the Falmouth Stakes last season before finishing a highly creditable second to Proclamation in this contest, on going which was probably plenty soft enough for her.James Fanshawe's stable star proved that her powers haven't diminished, despite now being a six-year-old, when demonstrating her trademark turn of foot to beat Echelon by a cosy two lengths in the Windsor Forest Stakes at Royal Ascot. The mare is second favourite to follow-up on August 2 at a top-priced 4/1 withLadbrokes.Market leader for this is Araafa, who is 7/2 with Ladbrokes and 10/3 with Stan James. Jeremy Noseda's charge, who was fourth in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May, has gone onto land the Irish equivalent at The Curragh before winning the St James's Palace Stakes with something to spare.The Mull Of Kintyre colt is effective on any going - it was heavy in Ireland yet good to firm at Royal Ascot - so that will be a real advantage, given that, despite taking place in the peak of summer, the ground can often turn soft at Glorious Goodwood.That was the case when Proclamation, who was then in the care of Noseda, produced a blistering burst of speed to come from last to first and beat Soviet Song by half-a-length in this contest last year.The four-year-old, who is now with Godolphin, was easy to back in the market on his seasonal reappearance in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and, commensurate with betting indications, he ran as though in need of the race, failing to quicken in the way we know he can when asked for his effort, eventually finishing one and a half lengths third to Ad Valorem.If the form of the Godolphin team improves markedly between now and August 2, one suspects that the 13/2 on offer with Stan James will be long gone. Ad Valorem is 10/1 with Stan James, while Peeress, who was fourth in the Queen Anne, is available at 8/1 with Ladbrokes.Court Masterpiece probably would have won that Royal Ascot contest had he not been impeded by the winner in the closing stages when coming with what looked like a decisive run. He is 12/1 to gain compensation by landing this event.