Coral Stewards’ Cup – Racing Tips’ 1-2-3

Coral Stewards’ Cup – Saturday 30th July 

The feature contest on day 5 of the Goodwood Festival is the Coral Stewards’ Cup and here at Racing Tips, we have provided our 1-2-3 for the competitive sprint handicap which you can check out below, alongside a special new customer offer from Kwiff, where you can grab £20 in Free Bets!

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1. Regional 16/1

The Coral Stewards’ Cup can go the way of REGIONAL, who has proven to be a shrewd acquisition to Ed Bethell’s North Yorkshire yard after picking up the sprinter for just 3,500gns at the Tattersalls July Sale last year. 

Highly tried at Listed level as a juvenile for Richard Fahey, Regional certainly didn’t take long to make an immediate impression for new connections, comfortably landing a six-furlong handicap at Haydock on his handicap/stable debut last September. Evidently held in high regard, he was flown out to Doha to contest the Group 3 Dukhan Sprint earlier this year where he put up a career-best performance to finish a clear second, picking up £45,000 in prize money in the process.  

Not beaten far back on British soil over six furlongs at Epsom in June, Ed Bethell’s sprinter warmed up for Saturday’s feature contest with an eye-catching effort back over five furlongs at Doncaster earlier this month. Staying on strongly inside the closing stages, Regional was beaten just a neck by Paul Midgley’s in-form four-year-old Burning Cash on that occasion and certainly looks ready for the step up in trip on that latest evidence. 

Suited by a sound surface underfoot, Regional should have his optimum conditions on Saturday afternoon and with connections enlisting the services of Ryan Moore for the very first time, a bold bid looks assured from Ed Bethell’s four-year-old. 

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2. First Folio 11/1

FIRST FOLIO hasn’t had many starts for trainer James Ferguson but his four-year-old sprinter has already shown some useful form in his nine starts and could be set to run a big race on Saturday afternoon. 

Off the mark at Yarmouth last April, he claimed a notable scalp on his third start for the yard in June when defeating Michael Dods’ well-regarded colt Blackrod in a valuable contest at York. Sent off the well-backed second favourite this time last year in the Stewards’ Cup consolation race, First Folio ultimately failed to cope with the soft conditions underfoot on that occasion but did manage to return to form back on the quicker ground towards the end of his three-year-old season, finishing fourth at Newmarket and York on his final two outings. 

Fifth on his seasonal reappearance in April, James Ferguson’s charge was pitched into Listed company on his penultimate start at Windsor and certainly shaped with plenty of promise, finishing second to a subsequent winner in Run To Freedom and nicely clear of Archie Watson’s higher-rated rival Tabdeed. 

Not beaten far in his latest outing in the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot, it’s perhaps worth upgrading First Folio’s sixth place finish considering he was forced to challenge towards the centre of the track – the first four home that day all raced towards the near side rail, including Mr Wagyu. Dropped 1lb to a mark of 98, James Ferguson’s sprinter is certainly capable of going close from his current mark and while he does have a tough draw to overcome this weekend from stall 4, First Folio can certainly show up well and is likely to be fighting out the finish. 

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3. Mr Wagyu 10/1

It’s certainly difficult to rule out course and distance winner MR WAGYU in Saturday’s feature contest. John Quinn’s seven-year-old rarely runs a bad race these days and has returned to winning ways in the last couple of months. 

A narrow winner of a valuable handicap at Epsom at the start of June, Mr Wagyu took his chance at Royal Ascot on his penultimate start when lining up in the Wokingham Stakes. Showing his customary early pace, the seven-year-old battled on bravely towards the line and wasn’t beaten far in fourth behind the likes of Jumby and David Evans’ eventual winner Rohaan. Off the back of that solid effort at the Royal meeting, connections decided to send the talented sprinter over to Ireland for the first time when contesting the Paddy Power Scurry Handicap at the Curragh. Well supported beforehand, the seven-year-old was certainly not for catching under regular rider Jason Hart and ultimately prevailed by a head at the line, recording a remarkable fifteenth career win in the process. 

Rated 106, John Quinn’s charge now finds himself on a career-high mark following his latest victory, however, the seven-year-old is sure to be in the shakeup judged on his latest performances and therefore cannot be overlooked.