Architect Saturday Racing Tips

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Indigo Girl would be hard to beat if able to repeat the form of her second in last season’s Fillies’ Mile but SAFFRON BEACH (best price 11-2) is the only runner in the field dropping down significantly in grade having tackled Group 1’s the last three times and earns the vote to bounce back to her best. Her second behind Sacred in the Nell Gwyn Stakes and second in the 1000 Guineas is the standout form in this event, especially with the likes of Santa Barbara, Alcohol Free and Sacred, who were all in behind, upholding the form since. This filly by New Bay hasn’t been at her best the last twice, but her eighth in the Oaks wasn’t a bad effort on ground far from ideal, while her latest showing in the Falmouth can be excused as she was found to have “mucky lungs”. She’s been given a nice break to get back to form and, with Hollie Doyle booked to do the steering, Jane Chapple-Hyam’s star filly should easily be capable of making her presence felt in this event.

SKY DEFENDER (best price 14-1) is now on a losing run of twenty but he’s more than capable off his current mark and he’s posted some cracking efforts in defeat this term in some of the hottest handicaps, including at Glorious Goodwood on his penultimate outing from a two-pound higher mark. He rattled the crossbar numerous times off marks in the 100’s last term and actually finished runner-up in the Sky Bet Handicap on this day last year at York from a mark of 104. It’s for that reason alone why I find him interesting here as Mark Johnston has bypassed the chance of going one place better with him at York in favour of this easier task at this venue today. He’s a very tough campaigner, who takes his racing really well, and despite the favourite looking tough to beat, this five-year-old is worth a reasonable bet at a double-figure price with hope he’ll at least reach the frame as everything points to him making a serious impact. 

SUNDAY SOVEREIGN (best price 9-2) was highly tried in his younger days and now that he’s finally found his mojo for current connections in recent outings, he could take some catching with the combination of conditions and trip right up his street at a track that should suit. He looked like a horse with raw speed when narrowly touched off at Musselburgh two weeks ago and the handicapper has surprisingly dropped him a pound, too. His second at York and fourth at Goodwood this year looks very strong when put in the context of today’s assignment and he gets the vote to finally deliver the goods that he’s often promised during his career for the in-form Rob Hornby and Tim Easterby combination. 

The feature race of the day, the Ebor Handicap, has attracted a stellar field of twenty-four and none of the participants can be discounted. EAGLES BY DAY (best price 33-1) has been laid out of this event by connections and will find this easier having been far from disgraced in the Goodwood/Lonsdale (here) and Doncaster Cup last term. It was only twelve months ago that his trainer decided to opt for the Lonsdale Cup instead of this event and, despite that not working out, he gets his chance to prove what he’s capable of doing in a handicap, albeit he’ll need a career-best to come out on top, for sure. He won a Group 3 in good style over course-and-distance last summer, which is very strong form, and with that latest run in the Group 3 Glorious Stakes under his belt, David O’Meara’s likeable stayer has a really nice each-way chance provided the ground doesn’t get too soft with up to six places on offer.

PABLO ESCOBARR (best price 33-1) was smart and consistent last term, and was a fine third to Hukum in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury earlier in the month. An interesting claimer has been booked, offsetting five-pounds, and if you rewind to last year’s renewal of this event, he was actually sent off just 12/1 from a higher mark. He could only muster an eleventh place finish, but that didn’t vindicate the performance on the whole as nothing went right form as he was hampered multiple times when making ground down the home straight and he even fluffed the gate, too. In addition, he’s much lower in the weights this time around, lower in the handicap and in the expectation he’s ridden more prominently, he’s not without a chance if back to something near his best, therefore, this capable five-year-old looks decent each-way value with most firms offering six places. 

Silent Escape heads the market under Oisin Murphy and will be a popular choice but IBIZA ROCKS (best price 4-1) looks one step ahead of the assessor and, having shaped with plenty of encouragement on return in April, Charlie Hills son of Dark Angel is fancied to make a winning handicap debut. He shaped with promise behind the likes of Megallan on debut last term before getting off the mark at Newbury when beating the 91-rated Siam Fox and travelled like the best horse in the race when a close-up third at Kempton when last spotted on return. That run ought to have blown away the cobwebs and, with an initial opening mark of 85 looking extremely lenient on the balance of his form, he has excellent prospects of exposing any chinks in his main market rival getting twelve-pounds from the favourite which could prove to be all the difference in the outcome of this event.

The Kevin Ryan-trained BOONIE (best price 7-2) has shown blistering speed in placing in both the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot and Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood in his last couple of runs and will find this drop in grade a lot easier. The cheek-pieces are an interesting addition, which could bring about further improvement, and he’s been described as the “best juvenile” in the yard, too. I have been really impressed with him this term and a reproduction of any of those two excellent placed-efforts should be more than good enough to see him prevail in this grade here on the Knavesmire. 

DAWAAM (best price 14-1) has an excellent strike-rate on the all-weather, but he caught the eye when a fine fourth in the C&D John Smith's Cup in July and wasn’t suited to a muddling affair at Doncaster when last spotted. His first visit here on his penultimate outing, though, underlined his talent as he looked well-suited to the track as he travelled powerfully and was the last horse off the bridle. He was about to lay down a serious challenge to the pacesetters at the furlong pole but had his run stopped in his tracks, forcing his rider to switch violently left before only keeping on at the same pace. That said, there were so many positives to take from his performance, hence why the handicapper raised him five-pounds afterwards. This race should equally suit his strong-travelling technique and, in the hope he gets the breaks when needed, Owen Burrow’s charge looks a serious each-way player under Jason Watson getting five places.