Krypton Factor tipped to impress at Goodwood

The Fawzi Nass-trained five-year-old confirmed himself a sprinter of the highest calibre when winning three times at last year’s Dubai Carnival, completing his hat-trick with a devastating display in the Golden Shaheen on World Cup night.

Although he has not struck gold since then, he has not once been disgraced and he has finished in the three on each of his five starts in 2013.

He ran fantastically well when third in the Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot last month, but was denied a rematch with the winner, Lethal Force, after he broke out of the stalls in the July Cup. His latest appearance in Newbury’s Hackwood Stakes appeared a gilt-edged opportunity, so it was a little disappointing he could not come up with the goods, again picking up only minor honours in third.

However, it is interesting he now tackles seven furlongs for the first time in well over two years, a distance over which he has run well in the past. Kieren Fallon back on board is another significant positive.

Clerk of the course Seamus Buckley has declared himself “delighted” with track conditions ahead of the eagerly-anticipated start of the meeting today. After almost a month of drying weather, the Sussex Downs finally enjoyed some welcome rain over the weekend to leave the course perfectly placed to stage five days of high-octane Flat action.

The ground was described as good, good to firm in places yesterday – but Buckley was unable to rule out a further ease underfoot, with more rain anticipated this afternoon.

At Perth, Irish trainer Stuart Crawford is expecting a big run from Call Box in the feature Orion Group Handicap Chase.

Among the rivals for Call Box is top-weight Owen Glendower, trained by champion national hunt handler Nicky Henderson.

Mourne Paddy is another Crawford runner with a chance and he lines up in the Concerto Spring Barley Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

He added: “He’s a bit quirky and this will be his first handicap over hurdles. He likes to jump off and dictate the pace if he can – Tony McCoy said he should have made more use of him when he was third at Perth in June.”

Meanwhile, trainer Michael Dods was thrilled to see the talented but quirky Le Chat D’Or get off the mark for the campaign with a smart display in the feature event at Ayr yesterday.

Sent off the 7-2 favourite for his latest assignment, Le Chat D’Or was ridden patiently by Paul Mulrennan before being produced to challenge on the far side of the track in the straight, finishing off the mile strongly to score by two and three-quarter lengths from Suits Me. The victory was the second leg of a double on the card for Darlington-based Dods and completed a treble on the afternoon for Mulrennan.

Dods and Mulrennan had earlier combined with 15-8 favourite Beat The Tide.

SELECTIONS

Goodwood

1.55 Fast Or Free

2.30 Ambiance

3.05 Krypton Factor

3.40 Oriental Fox

4.15 Brazos (nap)

4.50 Silverheels

5.25 Blanc De Chine

Beverley

2.20 Hatti

2.50 Ocean Storm

3.25 Jebulani

4.00 Robert The Painter

4.35 Brigadoon

5.10 Mey Blossom

5.45 Outlaw Torn

Yarmouth

2.10 Hulcolt

2.40 Music Stop

3.15 Lionheart

3.50 Whipper Snapper

4.25 Magical Rose

5.00 Nafa

5.35 Underwritten

Perth

6.00 Billfromthebar

6.30 Morning Time

7.00 Toledo Gold

7.35 Cloudy Joker

8.05 Owen Glendower

8.35 Lord Of Drums

9.05 Lisbon

Worcester

5.50 Cap Elorn

6.20 Captain Kelly

6.50 Keki Buku

7.20 Moscow Me

7.50 Neverownup

8.20 Benefit Of Youth

8.50 Man Of Leisure

Double

Brazos

4.15 Goodwood

Krypton Factor

3.05 Goodwood