Raincoat set for Goodwood return

A return to Goodwood for the Windflower March Stakes could be on the agenda for Raincoat after circumstance conspired against the Ladbrokes St Leger hopeful at the track on Tuesday.

John Gosden’s son of Barathea was tackling a mile and a half for the first time in the Gordon Stakes, only for the race to be run at a crawl and turn into a sprint in the closing stages.

The Khalid Abdullah-owned colt stuck to his task well and was only three-quarters of a length behind leading Leger fancy, Aqaleem.

The sponsors quote Raincoat at 16-1 for the Doncaster Classic and connections are now mulling a run in the August 25 contest.

Gosden said: “He has come out of the race in very good order and I couldn’t be more pleased with him.

“It was a silly race as they crawled and then sprinted.

“The Voltigeur and all of those races are open to him as I would like to see him run solidly over a mile and a half.”

Abdullah’s racing manager, Teddy Grimthorpe, added: “The Voltigeur may be aiming too high and he might come back here for a Listed race.

“He needs to prove himself good enough but the St Leger is still on the agenda.”