Glorious chance for Tariq

It is hard to look beyond Peter Chapple-Hyam’s Tariq in the Betfair Cup, the feature race on the opening day of Glorious Goodwood.

A lightly-raced son of Kyllachy, he is a rare breed as a seven-furlong specialist, and this Group Two event, registered as the Lennox Stakes, looks tailor-made for him.

He has always been highly thought of by Chapple-Hyam and of his six races to date, only his debut maiden victory has come outside Listed or Group class.

His third from an unfavourable draw in the Coventry Stakes last year on only his second start promised a great deal, but he was absent for the rest of the season.

Tariq reappeared in the Greenham Stakes when he was the stable second string behind Dutch Art and blatantly in need of the run. He then went over to France for the French Guineas but was a non-stayer.

He reverted to seven furlongs for a Listed race at Newmarket in May and easily disposed of Mr Napper Tandy, meaning he headed to the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot full of confidence.

The French challenger US Ranger was all the rage beforehand and made a bid for home two furlongs out but Jimmy Fortune refused to panic, pressed the button at the furlong marker and the response was immediate.

He went away to win by two and a half lengths in the manner of a smart horse and one that looks capable of scoring at a higher level.

Aqaleem can follow in the footsteps of Sixties Icon last year in getting beaten in the Derby before going on to Gordon Stakes glory.

Marcus Tregoning’s charge has been on a steep upward curve this season and after winning the Lingfield Derby Trial by four lengths, he ran a blinder to finish third behind Authorized in the Epsom Classic.

Tregoning resisted the temptation to take his charge over to the Curragh for the Irish equivalent, a wise decision in hindsight given the conditions, and instead has planned a St Leger campaign.

Kevin Prendergast’s Mores Wells brings some top-class Irish form into the mix but one gets the impression that those he beat earlier in the season in the Ballysax have now caught him up. Henry Cecil’s Tranquil Tiger may give the selection most to think about.

The third Group race on a fascinating opening day should see Sir Mark Prescott’s Starlit Sands gain compensation for a near miss at the Royal meeting with victory in the Molecomb Stakes.

She was just pipped by Ger Lyons’ high-class Elletelle in the Queen Mary and sets the standard.

It may also pay to give Northumberland Plate favourite Nosferatu one more chance back in the Detica Summer Stakes.

He was all at sea on the bottomless ground at Newcastle but had looked very progressive previously.

At Beverley Prince Evelith can be taken to bounce back to form on a track he likes in the Persimmon Homes Handicap.

Alan Swinbank’s horses never seem to be out of form and a mile should suit him better than nine furlongs what he raced over last time.

Commercial Express has been rejuvenated since joining Peter Monteith’s stable from David Pipe and looks the pick in the John Smith’s Handicap Chase at Perth.