Goodwood August Festival - Friday round-up and Saturday tips

Goodwood's August bank holiday festival got off to a cracking start - and there's plenty more racing and family fun to come over the weekend.
It was a sunny start to the August bank holiday festival / Picture by Steve BoneIt was a sunny start to the August bank holiday festival / Picture by Steve Bone
It was a sunny start to the August bank holiday festival / Picture by Steve Bone

Jockey David Egan's double was the highlight of the six-race programme on a warm summer's evening when a crowd of around 8,000 descended on the Downs for the start of the three-day festival.

Egan began the meeting by riding 7/4 favourite Island Cloud to a length-and-a-half win in the Thames Materials Ltd Apprentice Handicap for trainer Heather Main, then followed up in the Chichester Observer Nursery Handicap which he claimed on 3/1 shot She Believes for Sylvester Kirk.

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The biggest-priced winner of the evening saw a familar trainer in the winner's enclosure as Richard Hannon saw Bon Scotte take the EBF Maiden Stakes at 16/1 under Hollie Doyle - the result confirmed after a lengthy stewards' inquiry.

Imphal (2/1 fav) won the Butlins Handicap underTyler Saunders for Marcus Tregoning, Dubara won the Thames Materials Ltd EBF Fillies' Handicap at 9/2 for David Probert and Luca Cumani, while the last, the Thames Materials Ltd Handicap, went to the 3/1 joint favourite Wannabe Friends for Richard Hughes and Finley Marsh.

The evening concluded with a spectacular fireworks display set to music, while throughout the fixture, the on-track action was complemented by live music, entertainers and a range of sideshows and stalls on the theme of British seaside holidays of yesteryear.

That theme continues on Saturday and Sunday, when another 14 races will be the centrepiece of the fesitval. Saturday's highlight is the Group 2 Celebration Mile at 3.20 in which Lightning Spear will defend the title he won last year.

Race-goers can pay on the day.

Saturday's tips: 135 Tarnhelm, 210 Billesdon Brook, 245 Mukalal, 320 Zonderland, 355 Count Octave, 430 Captain Courageous, 505 Mancini.

STEVE BONE

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