The Coral Stewards’ Cup has to be one of the toughest handicaps of the year to solve and tomorrow’s running (Goodwood, 3.35 p.m.) is as open as they come, with a maximum field of 28 runners due to line up for this downhill cavalry charge over six furlongs.

The most likely winner is arguably Two Tribes, who won this race last year and who ran such a top prep race for this contest just six days ago when second in the Moet & Chandon International Handicap at Ascot. However, the chances of Two Tribes winning are fairly obvious and he is now a single-figure price. Far Above Dream has a big shout too from stall 23 but he is also a single-figure price and the likely favourite.

So I am going to instead put up a horse at bigger odds in the shape of DARK THIRTY, trained by the father and son team of John and Sean Quinn. The Quinns love to target this meeting and their six-year-old gelding is 5lbs ‘well in’ for this early-closing race after being second in a hot sprint handicap at The Curragh less than two weeks ago.

Few flat-bred horses truly stay such an extreme distance but I am going to take a chance

Few flat-bred horses truly stay such an extreme distance but I am going to take a chance

The winner of that race, Sondad, reopposes again tomorrow but on 7 lbs worse terms with the runner-up for just half a length. The downside is Dark Thirty’s draw in stall 8, which is far from ideal with high numbers usually favoured in the sprints. However, back him 1 point each way at 16-1 with bet365, paying six places.

Nevertheless, I will go into the race double-handed with GET IT, the winner of the race in 2024 and much better drawn than Dark Thirty in stall 28. This horse is now eight years old and this will be........

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