Architect Sunday Racing Tips

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VELOCISTAR (best price 13-2) will need another step up the ladder in order to take this prize but she arrives at the top of her game and, with Megan Nicholls maintaining the partnership at the foot of the weights, this likeable filly is fancied to go well in a bid to make it three-from-three over today’s course-and-distance. 

She has progressed nicely on the turf this term, winning at Ripon and Carlisle, and produced another good effort from the front when second at Salisbury on Thursday, showing a good attitude to rally and take second in the latter stages. She’s unbeaten over today’s track and trip and has been given a good slot in stall one, which should allow her to get an early prominent role. This demands another career-best, but she’s been on the upgrade throughout the last twelve months and, off these weights, she should be in the mix in what is her biggest test to date back at her favourite hunting ground.

The Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois is the main dish from Deauville, where last year’s winner Palace Pier is back for more and will take on both Alpine Star and Poetic Flare but the Andre Fabre-trained VICTOR LUDORUM (best price 18-1) has been trained specifically for this test and, being a dual Group 1 winner, including over today’s course-and-distance, a bold bid is anticipated back on a course which clearly suits him well getting three places.

He was a brilliant two-year-old, as well as a three-year-old, who landed last season’s Group 1 Emirates Poule D'Assai Des Poulains and warmed up for this with an easy three-length success in a Group 3 at Chantilly last month on ground that wouldn’t have seen him to best effect. This is by far a much stiffer examination of his credentials, but he’s a high-class horse when getting his conditions and this ground will suit him better than most. He’s also the preferred choice of the stable’s couple of representatives and, given the fact that connections have had this race as his long-term project, while Palace Pier is better on soft, Poetic Flare has had a gruelling season and Alpine Star was beaten in a weaker affair last-time-out, this son of Shamardal makes fair each-way appeal at a wild price. 

This looks a good match between the upwardly mobile profiles of both Star Seeking and STAR JEWEL (best price 5-2) with preference for the latter who is fancied to make it a perfect three-from-three for Simon and Ed Crisford. 

The filly by Territories confirmed the initial promise of her scintillating winning display on debut when impressing on her return at Redcar last month. Her opening mark on today’s handicap debut doesn’t look overly excessive, as the manner in which she stamped her authority last time suggested she hasn’t reached the ceiling of her ability. Star Seeking is the obvious threat but she had her armour exposed when last spotted, whereas Simon and Ed’s charge hasn’t put a foot wrong up to this point and, with further improvement appearing as a distinct possibility, she has won both of her starts in excellent style, suggesting that she is well up to being very competitive in this higher grade. 

The Ruth Jefferson-trained FLINT HILL (best price 11-4) has been in fantastic form under both codes the past eighteen months and having produced an excellent effort to finish third in a two-mile handicap at York against higher-rated opponents, this dual-purpose five-year-old gets the vote to oblige for the second time over today’s course-and-distance under Graham Lee. 

He scored over hurdles in April at Perth and followed-up over track and trip in June, having more in hand than the winning margin had indicated. His performance at York, last time, deserved a great deal of praise given the fact he kept on strongly to keep tabs on the front pair all the way to the wire on ground that was softer than ideal. The assessor has only raised his mark a pound, too, so with Graham Lee in the saddle, who rode him to victory on his penultimate outing, the pair could be set for another success at the West Yorkshire venue with conditions right up his street. 

TRUE MASON (best price 5-1) has posted some positive efforts in defeat in strong-looking handicaps of late, including when finishing with a real flourish to take fifth having endured traffic problems in the Great St Wilfred consolation race at Ripon yesterday and, provided that hasn’t taken too much out of him, Philip Makin’s charge might be able to capitalise on this drop in grade from an unchanged mark under PJ McDonald. 

It’s surprising to note that he’s only won once in his career, which came back in 2018, but he’s offered a lot of encouragement this term in better-quality handicaps, all of which have been in higher-grades. He’s been there or thereabouts in his last five outings, including when seventh of 19 at York last month, beaten only three-lengths. He was slowly away in the consolation race at Ripon yesterday and failed to get a clear run over a furlong out, but charged out of the pack to be nearest the finish and the handicapper has left his mark unaltered. Additionally, he’s taking a huge drop down in grade for today’s assignment and a repeat of any of his performances this term should be more than good enough for him to finally open his account in this scenario.