Architect Friday Racing Tips

We start day three of York’s four-day meeting with an excellent-looking handicap. Wink Of An Eye, the current market leader, has shortened up over night as if defeat is out of question but, ignoring his recent string of victories, which isn’t strong form anyway, it's not easy to understand why he is such a short price in this fiercely-competitive handicap with plenty of value elsewhere, especially with this firms offering the extra places. He’s a favourite I’m perfectly happy to oppose and I like the claims of both SCARLET DRAGON (best price 16-1) and WINTER REPRISE (best price 16-1), who certainly have the ingredients to ruffle a few feathers with five places widely on offer. 

The firstly-mentioned SCARLET DRAGON, trained by Alan King, is a very useful handicapper when putting his best foot-forward, and gained the biggest prize of his career on the level at last year’s Royal Ascot meeting when winning the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes from a mark of 98 under a beautifully well-timed ride from Hollie Doyle. The eight-year-old has improved with each outing this term and having ran well in both the Scottish Champion Hurdle and Pertemps Network Swinton Handicap Hurdle, he’s equally performed with credit in two spins on the flat, including when sixth in the Duke Of Edinburgh on a deep surface, followed by an unlucky sixth in the Old Newton Cup. He was right in amongst the carnage in that latest affair, suffering interference not once but twice and, to his credit, kept on strongly to not be beaten that far in the end. The assessor has kindly reduced his mark, where he finds himself only a pound higher than when winning at Ascot last year, which was just as strong a contest as this event. Others are open to greater improvement, of course, but he’s understandably a solid campaigner and, knowing that Tom Marquand will be maintaining the partnership, he looks quite a good price, each-way, at 14/1 in the Sky Bet Handicap.

I will also give a positive mention to WINTER REPRISE, who ran with credit in Group 3/listed contests in the spring, and has threatened to win a valuable pot of this calibre for connections of late. 

A lightly-raced six-year-old, who enjoyed a good spell when sent over to France, he’d acquitted himself to good effect in three pattern-class events this term, including in the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes, where he was only a length behind Hukum in fifth and the form has been extremely well advertised since. He caught the eye when travelling powerfully in the Old Newton Cup when last spotted and, despite only managing eighth of 20 in the end of the procedure, there were more than enough positives to glean from his performance on the whole going forward. There’s clearly bundles more to come on that evidence and, with that experience of this venue firmly under his belt, there will be no excuses for him here. He should get a nice lead into proceedings and, in the expectation of seeing Jim Crowley make an attempt to deliver him late into the argument, this unexposed four-year-old could prove troublesome to the likely market leaders at the business end of the Sky Bet Handicap with a generous 14/1 on offer. 

Berkshire Shadow didn’t appear to be at home on softer ground when narrowly touched off in the Vintage Stakes last time and should be suited better suited to the better ground here on return to six-furlongs here but, on reflection of the outcome of that race just mentioned, I’m adamant LUSAIL (best price 3-1) would have had the measure of Andrew Balding’s charge if he’d have competed in that event and is fancied to confirm that point of view with a big display in the Gimcrack Stakes.

Richard Hannon’s’ smart two-year-old has scored in good style at Newmarket the last twice, including when beating subsequent Group 2 Richmond winner Asymmetric in the July Stakes last time, albeit he was probably flattered by being on the favoured part of the track. That said, he clocked a huge number in winning that event and his credentials here can be strengthened too, as he’s the only course-and-distance winner in the field, having bolted up in a decent maiden on debut. He arrives here fresher than the likes of Berkshire Shadow and Fearby having skipped Goodwood and, despite shouldering a 3Ib penalty - this Colt by Mehmas looks the one to beat with the potential to take even higher rank next season. 

The market, however, looks to have vastly underestimated the chances of TWILIGHT JET (best price 20-1), who is more exposed than most, but brings some of the strongest form to the table and will be my each-way choice in the Gimcrack Stakes. 

As we saw earlier this week, experience does count for plenty, as demonstrated by Royal Patronage this week who dented some lofty reputations. Trainer Michael O’Callaghan and jockey Lee Roche travel to the Yorkshire venue for their only runner and ride this week, which is interesting, and I find it hard to see why this two-year-old is so big in the betting on the form available, I must admit. Besides his victory in June, at Tipperary, this son of Twilight Son has been highly tried and has ran much better than his finishing positions have indicated. Firstly, when fifth in the Group 3 Marble Hill Stakes behind Castle Star before running well to finish seventh of 15 in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was then fifth of 14 in the Railway Stakes behind Go Bears Go and we last saw him perform admirably in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes behind Ebro River. On official ratings, he has a little bit to find, but connections wouldn’t be sending him here from Ireland just for the day out and he doesn’t have a lot to find with the market principles on a line through his pattern-class form. This track should play to his strengths and it would be no surprise if he were to make the long journey for connections worthwhile with a big impact here, so, he’s definitely the most overpriced horse with a chance of taking the spoils. 

The Nunthorpe Stakes this afternoon promises to be one of the races of the week and, although we sadly won’t see dual winner Battaash strut his stuff on the Knavesmire, it features a great international line-up with representatives from America, France and, of course, the UK. Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner - Golden Pal, is the current favourite under Frankie but disqualified Commonwealth Cup hero DRAGON SYMBOL (best price 5-1), gets the vote to finally land his first deserved Group 1 in the hands of Oisin Murphy.

He might have been beaten three-lengths into second behind Suesa when last spotted, but had earlier beaten that same rival at Royal Ascot and he wasn’t helped by rough passage in the King George Stakes last time. The winner had a dream passage, unlike the runner-up, who was forced to weave his way through the field and ended up on the far side of the track. I can envisage Archie Watson’s top-class and consistent sprinter reversing the form here as he will be well-served to a stiff fix-furlongs and his form figures of 11112222 in his career, four of which coming in Group 1-3 events, ultimately leaves him with very strong each-way claims at the very least under ideal conditions with a good slot in stall two, too. 

A lot of these are confirmed pacesetters with the likes of Golden Pal, Winter Power, Bedford Flyer and Que Amoro all expected to go forward, and in the likelihood that none of them will be granted a luxury soft lead, there’s every chance this will really suit last year’s third, MOSS GILL (best price 25-1), who has an excellent record at this track over this course-and-distance with figures reading 221132 and is an appealing price in the feature race of the day with several bookmakers offering four places. 

This five-year-old Gelding by No Nay Never always comes alive at this venue and his third in this race twelve months ago was a career-best performance. He fared best of those held-up on that occasion and, considering the fact he’s yet to score this term, trainer Edward Bethell has trained him specifically for this race as his whole campaign has been geared up for another crack at this valuable Group 1 prize. PJ McDonald knows this five-year-old pretty well, who has an unbelievable record on the Knavesmire and - assuming he'll get another good pace to aim at, another bold bid is anticipated back on a course which clearly brings the best out of Knavesmire specialist.

The price about the Sir Mark Prescott-trained ANANYA (best price 50-1) in the Assured Data Protection EBF Fillies' Handicap looks insulting, who developed into a pattern-class performer when trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam in 2019, including when a fair seventh in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket and makes more appeal than the betting has indicated here under Ryan Tate.

Sir Mark Prescott’s newish recruit wasn’t suited to a messy affair when returning from a near two-year absence to finish fifth at Goodwood in July but shaped with encouragement and a repeat of her earlier form, especially in 2019, would give her sound claims of hitting the frame. There are, of course, risks attached but she looked as though she retained plenty of her ability when last spotted and this filly will appreciate the forecast better ground. Winning this race might be pushing expectations to the maximum capacity, but she’s one to consider each-way at a big price with the excellent Ryan Tate having his only ride on the card allied with being Sir Mark Prescott’s only runner of the day.