Grizzly Prospect

In an underwhelming cast for Goodwood’s G2 Doom Bar Celebration Mile, the purists will be looking to the sole 3-year-old, Kodi Bear (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), to salvage the reputation of a race that has played host to the likes of Brigadier Gerard (GB), Kris (GB), Selkirk, Mark of Esteem (Ire) and Raven’s Pass. While Olive Shaw’s smart colt has no pretensions to draw comparison with that crew, his form has been rock-solid throughout his brief career, and he is a warm order to make his class edge tell against exposed older rivals on Saturday. Second in the G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket in October, the bay returned from a lengthy absence to win Windsor’s Listed Midsummer S. over an extended mile June 27 before running fourth in the G1 Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly July 12. It was his last performance when slamming smart rivals under an enterprising front-running ride in the G3 Sovereign S. at this trip at Salisbury Aug. 13 that he really began to convince that he could be a potential leading player in the major mile races. Trainer Clive Cox believes he is the best he has trained and is hoping he can continue to justify that opinion. “He’s a horse we’ve always held in high regard,” he said. “I’m delighted he’s now confirming the promise we always hoped and believed we should be seeing. He came out of his last race fine. Clearly he’s very versatile on ground as well, which is an important factor this week. The QEII was on our minds very much before the Salisbury run and that confirms it wasn’t a foolish plan to be aiming at.”

There is only one other colt in the line-up and that is the 2013 Dewhurst runner-up Cable Bay (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who has enjoyed a profitable campaign already when winning the seven-furlong John of Gaunt S. at Haydock May 30 and finishing third in the July 11 G2 Summer Mile at Ascot and fourth in the G2 Hungerford S. back at seven at Newbury last time Aug. 15. “The ground will be ideal for him, he likes a bit of give and I think he’s quite capable of winning a race like this,” trainer Charlie Hills commented. “He’s a very good horse and has got some excellent form and I’m happy with his training. Obviously you have to respect Kodi Bear, but having said that, ours is a very good horse so we’ll give it our best shot.”