In recent months, Sweet Pursuit has developed a liking for Ffos Las, winning three times at the West Wales venue before finishing a closing fourth, beaten 2¾ lengths, in a competitive 0-95 affair 11 days ago. Rod Millman’s 4-year-old filly has been raised 1lb for that effort but, granted better luck in running, the daughter of Pastoral Pursuits can make her presence felt in the Netbet Betmaker Fillies’ Handicap (4.45) at Goodwood on Tuesday.
Sweet Pursuit ran creditably in defeat over course and distance last summer, but has since improved 29lb, according to official ratings, and may still have more improvement to come. In any case, she’s clearly at the top of her game and this might her last opportunity to race in 0-80 company for a while. She’s won on soft, good to soft, good and good to firm going, so should run her race whatever the weather in West Sussex between now and Tuesday afternoon and can hopefully make it three wins in four starts under capable apprentice Finley Marsh.
Provided four races in the space of a month doesn’t prove to be going to the well once too often, Sweet Pursuit is hard to fault and it’ll be interesting to see what the layers make of her chance in due course. Trainer Rod Millman reports her in “top form”, so it may just be a question of taking whatever price we can get against some largely uninspiring opposition.
Selection: Goodwood 4.45 Sweet Pursuit to win 11/4