2021 Unibet Stewards’ Cup: Top Frontrunners and Sleepers for Goodwood Meet

Only a couple of days remain in the 2021 edition of Glorious Goodwood, and the Unibet Stewards’ Cup will feature as one of the send-off races for one of the flat season’s biggest meets. The Chichester-based festival has featured a host of top-level flat races throughout the week and comes to a head with Saturday’s programme.

Having made its debut in 1840, the Stewards’ Cup has cemented its place as one of the biggest betting attractions at Goodwood, due in large part to the fact it’s a swift six furlongs in distance. Racing Fixtures takes a look at some of the bookmakers’ favourites and less-fancied underdogs for one of the final races on this year’s Goodwood itinerary.

Frontrunner: First Folio (5/1)

Only three races into his career, First Folio is already drumming up considerable interest as a short-range prospect to keep an eye one, earning favourite status at 5/1 for the Stewards’ Cup. Named after the first collection of William Shakespeare’s plays, the BBC reported a copy of the real First Folio sold for $10 million last October, and its namesake will hope to prove his worth in his return to the track.

The three-year-old starlet has won two of his three races to date and most recently triumphed at York in June, jockeyed exclusively by Dan Muscutt thus far.

It’s difficult to judge whether First Folio is worth the low price considering both his wins have been by less than a length, however, and a large field on Saturday could prove overwhelming.

Sleeper: Commanche Falls (14/1)

Speaking of loyal rides, Connor Beasley has been jockey to Commanche Falls in all but one of his 15 races to date and boasts a 50 per cent win ratio from those 14 outings.

The four-year-old holds tremendous experience and has raced five times already in 2021, and this weekend’s likely good-to-firm conditions could suit him well over six furlongs.

Commanche Falls most recently won at Hamilton by just a nose in July, although Beasley ensured a slightly more comfortable result at Ripon a little more than one month prior.

Horse racing analysts state that there’s every reason to fancy the 14/1 odds if trainer Michael Dods’ hopeful can open a pocket of space, with his partnership alongside Beasley proving potent thus far.

Sleeper: Edraak (16/1)

Trainer Mick Appleby has a number of entries in the Stewards’ Cup to be excited about, but 16/1 outsider Edraak could prove the most promising of the bunch come Saturday.

The five-year-old made his racing debut in a runner-up finish at Cheptow, but a change of hands to Appleby’s stable quickly paid dividends with victory under his name at Newcastle almost a year later:

https://twitter.com/TWEnclosure/status/1267446614567931904

That was Edraak’s sole win of 2020, but 2021 has already been a far more profitable season with three times that number in the books, and there’s still time left before the year is over. Concerning his four wins to date, Tom Marquand is the only jockey to ride Edraak to multiple victories thus far, and fans will hope the pair are reunited on Saturday to give those 16/1 odds a boost.

Unibet Stewards’ Cup - Odds Leaders

Team                       Odds

First Folio                    5/1

Fresh                           7/1

Hurricane Ivor             8/1

Chil Chil                    10/1

Ejtilaab                      12/1

Chiefofchiefs             14/1

Bickerstaffe               14/1

Summerghand          14/1

Punchbowl Flyer       14/1

Commanche Falls     14/1