Vintage Stakes 2023 Betting Guide: Odds, Tips & Prediction

While Glorious Goodwood betting is largely dominated by the festival’s three Group 1 races, there are plenty of others scheduled over five days of high-octane action. Take the Group 2 Nicholson Gin Vintage Stakes, for example, which will take place at 15:25 GMT on Tuesday, August 1st and is actually the fourth race of the 2023 festival. In this comprehensive Vintage Stakes horse racing betting guide, I’ll offer some export wagering tips while also making my own prediction about who will win.

💯 Qatar Vintage Stakes Betting Odds

Vintage Stakes betting for 2023 has finally gotten underway, with the runners and ante-post odds now being confirmed. Aidan O’Brien’s two-year-old colt Unquestionable has emerged as the tentative ante-post favourite here, although fellow Vintage Stakes runners Native American and Haatem are also tipped to do well. Here’s a breakdown of the latest Qatar Vintage Stakes betting odds.

Sportsbook
Unquestionable	TBC	TBC	2.63	2.50	TBC	TBC
Native American	TBC	TBC	5.50	6.00	TBC	TBC
Haatem	TBC	TBC	7.00	8.00	TBC	TBC
Thunder Blue	TBC	TBC	10.00	9.00	TBC	TBC
Golden Mind	TBC	TBC	10.00	11.00	TBC	TBC
Mountain Bear	TBC	TBC	13.00	11.00	TBC	TBC
Iberian	TBC	TBC	15.00	11.00	TBC	TBC
Air Commander	TBC	TBC	15.00	15.00	TBC	TBC
Cerulean Bay	TBC	TBC	15.00	17.00	TBC	TBC
Henry Adams	TBC	TBC	17.00	15.00	TBC	TBC
Soldiers Gold	TBC	TBC	21.00	17.00	TBC	TBC
Per Contra	TBC	TBC	21.00	21.00	TBC	TBC
Witness Stand	TBC	TBC	26.00	26.00	TBC	TBC
Spanish Phoenix	TBC	TBC	26.00	26.00	TBC	TBC
Son	TBC	TBC	34.00	26.00	TBC	TBC

🏇 Vintage Stakes Betting Preview

Before I offer my own Vintage Stakes Prediction, I’m going to take a closer look at the three main contenders and why they’re expected to do well at Goodwood in 2023.

Unquestionable

Unquestionable is the clear ante post favourite for the 2023 Vintage Stakes, with an average price of 2.63 among the market leading sportsbooks. There’s good reason for this too; with the colt having performed well in his three career outings to date and yet to finish outside of the top three.

Unquestionable debuted in the GAIN First Flier Stakes (Listed Race) at Curragh at the beginning of May, placing third after a steady run that saw him finish just 2¼ lengths behind His Majesty. Then came a first career win in the Tally Ho Stud Irish EBF (C & G) Maiden at the same venue, as the two-year-old timed his run to perfection over six furlongs to finish 4½ lengths ahead of Mr Saturday.

He was arguably even more impressive when placing second in the GAIN Railway Stakes last time out, as despite this being his first taste of Group 2 action, he remained in touch with the leaders from the beginning and was only beaten by Buccaneer Fuerte by a shoulder in the end. So, despite his lack of experience over seven furlongs, Unquestionable is a deserved favourite for the 2023 Vintage Stakes.

• TBC at Betway
• TBC at BoyleSports
• 2.50 at William Hill

Haatem

Haatem is one of the more experienced runners in the 2023 Vintage Stakes field, while he boasts a similarly impressive record of four top-three finishes in five outings. Crucially, he has also appeared in two Group 2 races to date, performing well on both occasions and even placing second in the bet365 Superlative Stakes last time out.

This outing also saw the colt compete over seven-furlongs for the first time, and in exceptionally good company too. He took a keen hold early in Newmarket as well, edging second over one furlong out before ultimately finishing 6½ lengths behind the excellent City Of Troy.

Overall, Haatem is an outstanding contender and one that offers value both as an outright and each-way wager, especially when you consider his consistent career record and his proven ability over the Vintage Stakes distance.

• TBC at Betway
• TBC at BoyleSports
• 8.00 at William Hill

Native American

Native American is priced at an average of 8.00 to win the 2023 Vintage Stakes, although the two-year-old colt has been afforded odds as low as 6.00 by William Hill. This is despite the runner’s relative inexperience, with Native American having only previously raced once at York in the Collective Green Energy EBF Restricted Novice Stakes on May 27th.

However, he did at least manage to win over six furlongs here, overcoming a stumble at the start before keeping on well against the near reel and pulling an impressive 5½ lengths clear of Ticktyboo in the final stretch.

So, he’ll arrive in good form and with immense promise, while trainer Richard Hannon has recorded 23 wins and 92 places from 310 runners at Goodwood over the last five years. However, his record in the Vintage Stakes is far less impressive, while the sense remains that this particular race may have come a little too soon for Native American.

• TBC at Betway
• TBC at BoyleSports
• 6.00 at William Hill

🔮 Vintage Stakes 2023 Prediction

French runner Unquestionable is one of the most talented runners in Aidan O’Brien’s stable, and a more than justifiable favourite for the 2023 Vintage Stakes. Of course, it’s always hard to consider the merits of competing two-year-old runners given their relative lack of experience, but Unquestionable stands out from the crowd and had claimed a top three finish in all of his career races to date.

Interestingly, his best performance came when finishing second in the GAIN Railway Stakes at Curragh at the beginning of July. This was the colt’s first outing at Group 2 level, and despite competing in a highly talented field of nine, he remained in touch with the leaders throughout and rallied down the final stretch to finish just a shoulder behind Adrian Murray’s Buccaneer Fuerte.

This followed an excellent win in the Tally Ho Stud Irish EBF (C & G) Maiden on May 27th, which saw Unquestionable make all the running early on and quicken clear when challenged briefly inside along the final furlong. Ultimately, he finished a comfortable 4½ lengths ahead of his nearest rival Mr Saturday, and while he has yet to race over seven furlongs (or at the Goodwood track), he has significant pedigree and is the runner to beat in the Vintage Stakes.

Native American is priced at around 5.50 to win the 2023 Vintage Stakes, and he’s expected to offer stern competition to the ante-post favourite Unquestionable. However, he also has yet to race over seven furlongs and has just one career outing to date, having debuted at York in the Collective Green Energy EBF Restricted Novice Stakes on May 27th.

The good news is that he exceeded expectations by winning this race, overcoming a relatively distant starting price of 11.00 and a stumbling start to recover well and ultimately power clear during the final 110 yards. So, he’s clearly a highly promising runner who’s capable of upsetting the odds in the Vintage Stakes, although the sense remains that the race may have come a little too soon for Native American.

7.00 shot Haatem is also widely tipped to do well at Goodwood, while he’s the most experienced of the ante-post frontrunners with five career races (and four top three finishes) already under his belt. What’s more, Haatem has the distinction of having completed two Grade 2 races, even managing to finish second in the seven-furlong bet365 Superlative Stakes last time out.

Ultimately, Hateem offers value both as an outright and each-way bet, especially as he’s more than proven over the Vintage Stakes distance. Native American is also a key contender, but my own Vintage Stakes prediction is that Unquestionable will win the race and build on an incredibly promising start to his career.

⚡ The Best Vintage Stakes Betting Sites

Once Vintage Stakes 2023 betting does get underway, the question that remains is where should you stake your hard-earned bankroll? Below, I’ve listed the very best Vintage Stakes sports betting sites, each of which is highly rated according to Betinreland’s comprehensive bookmaker reviews.

🔍 Vintage Stakes Betting Tips

No Vintage Stakes preview or betting guide worth its salt would be complete without some analysis of the race’s key trend factors. After all, these draw on past renewals and historical datasets to predict future outcomes, potentially making it easier to identify value and the best value ante-post odds. Here are a few Vintage Stakes Goodwood betting tips to keep in mind!

Don’t Overlook Past Performances

One of the worst performing Vintage Stakes trend factors is when runners had a highest place finish of Class 5, with this producing a despairing record of 0-25.

Similarly, 78% of winners from the previous 20 race iterations (dating back to 2003) had also placed higher than a Grade 3 prior to appearing in the Vintage Stakes, so it’s important to identify runners with a proven track record in G1 and G2 outings.

If you take the 2021 winner Angel Bleu, for example, he had previously placed second in the Class 1 Pat Eddery Stakes Listed Race (formerly the Winkfield Stakes) at Ascot. This proved to be the perfect preparation for Goodwood and the Vintage Stakes, while it should be noted that 2020 winner Battleground had also won a Class 1 race at Ascot immediately before his triumph.

So, when betting on potential Vintage Stakes winners, pay careful attention to their past form and whether they’ve enjoyed previous success in a Group 1 or Group 2 outing.

Give Weight to the Favourites

Historically speaking, it can be hard to predict the winner at specific Goodwood races, but the Vintage Stakes bucks this trend to some degree. The reason for this is simple; as 13 starting favourites have won this race during the last 20 iterations, while just two have placed lower than fourth.

What’s more, the same timeframe has seen 66% of Vintage Stakes winners priced 15.00 or under at the beginning of the race, including the 2022 victor Marbaan. He started this renewal of the Vintage Stakes at odds of 15.00 too, making him the highest priced winner in a decade.

But what does this mean when appraising the 2023 Vintage Stakes betting odds? Well, Unquestionable would certainly appear to offer value even at the relatively short ante-post price of 2.63, even before you factor in his impressive second place finish in the Class 2 GAIN Railway Stakes at Curragh last time out. You could back this colt as either as an outright or each-way pick too, depending on your bankroll and appetite for risk.

There are currently eight runners priced at 15.00 or under ahead of the 2023 race, which may help to narrow the field when looking to place viable outright or ‘win’ wagers.

Who is the Best Trainer in the Vintage Stakes?

Over the course of the last 20 renewals of this race, the two most successful trainers are Mark Johnston and Aiden O’Brien. Both have won the Vintage Stakes three times since 2003, with the latter prevailing as recently as 2020 with Battleground.

O’Brien’s wins have come from fewer outings too, as he has fielded 14 runners in the last 20 Vintage Stakes (compared to Johnston’s 20). He has also earned more placed finishes (seven as opposed to six) during the same timeframe, so he undoubtedly boasts a high rate of success that should be considered carefully before you pick your winner.

This is good news for the ante-post favourite Unquestionable, who will represent O’Brien’s stable in 2023 Vintage Stakes. This runner may also be ridden by Ryan Moore, who has recorded two wins and three placed finishes in 13 Vintage Stakes outings since 2003.

At the other end of the scale, Richard Hannon has yet to record a win in the Vintage Stakes despite sending a total of 11 runners to the race. This may cast doubt on the credentials of third favourite Haatem, who will represent Hannon this year and look to break the trainer’s poor streak of form in the Vintage Stakes.

Review Each Runner’s RPR Value Ahead of the Race

While punters often use a horse’s OR (or Official Rating) to determine their pedigree, it’s the RPR metric that may offer a little more insight in real-time. While the OR is awarded to a horse by an official handicapper and based on factors such as their age and previous performances, such ratings tend to be updated slowly and are not always able to account for recent form.

Conversely, the RPR is a ranking awarded by the independent but unofficial Racing Post, which uses its data and form analysis to rate runners and help bettors to identify value in their published odds. Crucially, the RPR is updated regularly and after every race, so it may offer a more accurate reflection of each horse’s form and pedigree.

At the time of writing, Unquestionable boasts the highest RPR of the 2023 Vintage Stakes runners, with this peaking at 108 after his impressive runners-up appearance in the G2 GAIN Railway Stakes. Native American also achieved an RPR of 95 after his debut win at York in the Collective Green Energy EBF Restricted Novice Stakes, so he’ll arrive at Goodwood in relatively good stead.

As for Haatem, he saw his own RPR fall by two to 98 after finishing second in the G2 bet365 Superlative Stakes, although the colt at least showcased his ability to perform in excellent company here.

🎁 Top Free Bets Offers for the Qatar Vintage Stakes

With the ante-post odds and our Vintage Stakes betting guide in mind, it’s now time to place your wager. Before you do, however, I’d recommend checking out the very best Vintage Stakes betting offers below, as this may help you to unlock additional value and potentially stretch your bankroll a little further!

Betting Site	Offer	Claim
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📆 Qatar Vintage Stakes 2023 Schedule

The Vintage Stakes horse race is a Group 2 race that has been a key staple of the Goodwood Festival since 1995, and it’s scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 1st August (which will host first day of the meeting in 2023). The runners will arrive under starters’ orders at 15:25 GMT, while it’s the fourth of eight races that will be contested that day. Interestingly, it immediately precedes the World Pool Lennox Stakes at 16:00 GMT and the Group 1 Goodwood Cup at 16:35, with these three high quality outings considered to be the highlights of day 1 at Glorious Goodwood in 2023.

📆 Qatar Vintage Stakes 2023 Format

The G2 Vintage Stakes is open to colts and fillies aged two and will be contested over a straight seven furlongs at the iconic Goodwood racecourse. It’s also a flat race that’s ran on turf and usually in firm going (although the going could well be soft this year given the recent deluge of rain), while a handicap system is in place for competing runners. There’s a weight requirement of 9st 3lb in place and a 3lbs allowance for fillies, while a further 3lb penalty is incurred for any competitor that has previously won a G1 or G2 race. In 2023, the Vintage Stakes will be sponsored by the Nicholson Gin brand.

📊 Vintage Stakes Winners

❓ Frequently Asked Questions About the Vintage Stakes Betting