British Spot Plays: Goodwood July 29

Sometimes an unpredictable meet on which to bet, given the course is not to every horse's taste, the "Glorious" Goodwood Festival begins its five-day run on Tuesday with a trio of Group stakes. All have respectable field sizes and, hopefully, vulnerable favorites.

Following Newmarket's July Festival earlier this month, my English betting bankroll stands at $411.80 from an original starting point of $500. I will wager 5% of the outstanding balance to win on each published selection, with the first bet on Tuesday being a $21 play.

Race 2: Vintage (G2), 8:55 a.m. ET

Recent July (G2) upsetter Zavateri is a bit tempting in the current market, but I'll take an even larger price on #8 Laureate Crown (12-1) to follow up on his promising debut at Ascot a mere 17 days ago.

Although not typically a fan of juveniles conceding prior stakes experience and/or seasoning in a race like this, this long-striding member of the first crop by French 2000 Guineas (G1) winner Victor Ludorum caught the eye with that first-out win, weaving his way through traffic and getting up in time over this same distance.

Out of a dam that has produced two minor stakes winners already, Laureate Crown hails from a quality female family and should be showing his best late in a field chock full of front-running types.

Race 3: Lennox (G2), 9:30 a.m. ET

Although his recent Group form is rather spotty, #3 Iberian (20-1) should be well served by a return to Goodwood, over which he finished a respectable second two years ago in the Vintage. He also steps back up in trip to seven furlongs, the distance over which he captured the Champagne (G2) that same season while beating quality foes like Sunway and Rosallion.

Although there was little to like about his effort in the Greenlands (G2) two back, his latest at Royal Ascot was perhaps better than it looked as he took a strong bump when attempting to make headway on a seemingly unfavorable part of the strip. And again, I don't believe the six-furlong distance of both races was suitable enough.

Race 4: Goodwood Cup (G1), 10:05 a.m. ET

The Coolmore-owned Illinois is the obvious horse to beat at odds-on after finishing second best in the Gold Cup (G1) at Royal Ascot last time, but I was instead taken by the performance his three-year-old stablemate #8 Scandinavia (5-1) put up in the Bahrain Trophy (G3) earlier this month. Although not facing much, Scandinavia powered home to win by more than eight lengths while establishing himself as a potential St Leger (G1) candidate.

Bettors overseas have agreed with this, as Scandinavia's price for the Goodwood Cup has shortened in recent days to a little over 2-1. More intriguingly, Scandinavia will receive 14 pounds from Illinois, and the rest of the older stayers.