Passion to overcome favourites

Although its history extends more than 150 years, there are refreshingly few pretensions about the Stewards' Cup. It was conceived in 1840 with the aim, quite simply, of providing the July meeting at Goodwood with a compelling betting medium. It has fulfilled that ambition ever since, and so efficiently that there are probably many punters who have been trying to find the winner for decades without success. Most will feel this morning that they have their best chance for years.

As usual, 30 runners will go to post, but if the shades of the Cup's founders are circulating in the ring before the off, they will be affronted to find just two names dominating the market. Espartero, a lightly raced three-year-old under the shrewd care of Sir Mark Prescott, and Top Banana, winner of his last three races, are jostling for favouritism at around 6-1.

Looked at another way, though, this means it is a 4-6 chance that one of the other 28 will win, and given the choice most sane punters would rather take a shade of odds-on about more than two dozen runners than 6-1 about a favourite. Nor does the form book justify the short prices. Espartero may prove to be a Pattern-race performer in time, but with a rating of 99 he is handicapped like one already. Top Banana, meanwhile, has been beating small fields, which is hardly form to rely on in a contest such as today's.

It may be obvious that there is no value at the front of the betting, but punters must stick to one or two selections. The draw, too, is little help, with recent winners coming from stalls on both sides of the track.

One statistic which is worth noting, though, is that while favourites have a poor record in the Stewards' Cup, the last seven winners have been returned at 16-1 or less. This is the territory of dependable, in-form handicappers who have been keeping a fairly low profile in preparation for this major target, and it is the place to search for the winner again today.

Inzar, Bold Effort and Jayannpee have all been running well, while Astrac is just 5lb higher in the weights following his victory in the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot. None, though, makes more appeal than MASTER OF PASSION (nap 3.15), who finished fifth at Ascot and is now 7lb better of with Reg Akehurst's runner and is one of those perennial contenders without whom no valuable sprint handicap would seem complete.

With just five outings behind him this season, when some of his rivals are into double figures, he should be approaching his peak, and while his consistency in good races has often allowed the handicapper to keep him in check, he is now on a very fair mark. At 16-1 with Coral this morning, his each-way chance is obvious.

By comparison with the Stewards', the day's other major race, the Group Two Nassau Stakes, is a weak renewal which will do little for its ambitions towards Group One status. The presence of Erin Bird, whose most recent run was in a valuable event in Japan, is interesting, not least because of Peter Chapple-Hyam's return to form. The winner, though, will probably be Caramba (2.40), whose hard-fought defeat of Gay Gallanta at Newmarket is by some way the best form on show. Kilvine (next best 3.50) and Mystic Hill (5.25) must also go close.

Richard Edmondson's Sunday Nap: Bowden Rose (Lingfield 2.45); Next Best: Fairy Story (Lingfield 3.15).