Architect Sunday Racing Tips

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An interesting small-field handicap chase to open proceedings at the West Midlands venue with the vote going to STREETS OF DOYEN (best price 11-8), who is one of the shortest-priced picks from myself ever on this column, but is strongly fancied to give weight and a beating to his four rivals and make the trip across from Ireland worthwhile.

The Irish-raider developed into a good staying hurdler earlier this year for connections, placing at both the Cheltenham (Albert Bartlett) and Aintree (Doom Bar Sefton Novices' Hurdle) Festivals. Thistle Do Nicely arrives in good form and appears at the main danger, but this will be first foray over three-miles and his stamina is unproven, while Adjali has become inconsistent and is far from trustworthy. Rhythm Is A Dancer ran poorly when last spotted and needs to bounce back and Oscar Montel faces his stiffest task to date. That leaves John McConnell’s charge as the best punt in this, albeit he is not a stunning bet by any means. His chasing career couldn’t have gotten off to a better start at Galway maiden last month, though, as the race contained two previous Cheltenham Festival winners in the shape of Bleu Berry and City Island and he had both of those comfortably in behind. There are a lot of positives about this seven-year-old, who has an excellent record on a surface described as “good” (five-from-five) and is the class act in the field. It is very difficult to find chinks in his armour and, with clear claims on recent form and further improvement to come, he surely holds a class edge over these at his best and can make it two-from-two in this sphere.

This is a cracking renewal of the Darley’ Prix Morny Stakes at Deauville and with four places on offer across the oddschecker app with several bookmakers, the Richard Fahey-trained PERFECT POWER (best price 13-2) looks a cracking each-way bet with the services of Christophe Soumillon in the plate to augment his chances even further.

He returned a narrow winner of the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in June over the high-class Go Bears Go, doing all of his best work in the final-furlong but then got into all sorts of traffic problems in last month’s Richmond Stakes at Goodwood and was beaten just over a length into fifth place. You will know that I’m a big fan of this horse and was firmly on his side the last day likewise in his Norfolk victory, but nothing went right for him at all last time compared to the front-three who had a dream passage but, to his credit, he stayed on so powerfully in the latter stages on the bridle to make rapid progress and confirm that six-furlongs would be his best trip as his rider had difficulty pulling him up once the race had concluded. He probably would have won with a clear run, from my point of view, and the form has been given a nice boost since by the fourth who won a Group 1 in Ireland. His performance the last day deserved even more praise considering he was giving the whole field three-pounds by carrying a penalty. The icing on the cake is the booking of world-class rider, Christophe Soumillon, who wouldn’t have been a cheap arrangement for the job in hand, and providing this Royal Ascot winner can see more daylight when he starts to hit wind up his challenge and hit top-gear, compensation may well be forthcoming.

Next up, we have the Darley Prix Jean Romanet Stakes, and I really like the claims of two Irish-raiders. Firstly, the Joseph O’Brien-trained THUNDERING NIGHTS (best price 7-2) who gained reward for her consistency when striking for the first time at the highest level in the Pretty Polly at the Curragh and, knowing that her preparation has gone according to plan since that breakthrough victory, another bold display could be on the cards as she steps foot onto France territory for the first time with plenty in her favour.

This filly is versatile as regards to conditions and she’s gone from strength to strength this season. Firstly when second to Broome on seasonal reappearance and then going down by a short-head second to in the Grade 2 New York Stakes at Belmont. She then expressed another chunk of improvement when last sighted 56 days ago in landing her first Group 1, where she travelled noticeably well and battled like a warrior to see off Santa Barbara in a thrilling finish to that event. The runner-up, who is held in high regard by Aidan O’Brien, has upheld the form extremely well subsequently by winning back-to-back Grade 1’s, notably the Belmont Oaks followed by the Beverly D Stakes in Arlington. Let’s not forget this filly out of Night Of Thunder was giving Santa Barbara an astonishing twelve-pounds when beating her last time so it was a commendable effort to say the least and it’s good to see her regular pilot Shane Crosse travel over to Deauville to keep the partnership intact. Needless to say, however, this will require another personal-best, but her form could hardly have worked out any better, she’s resilient, durable and it will take a big performance from something else in the line-up to see her beaten given her determination to really dig deep when it matters most.

The other one that I like is INSINUENDO (best price 16-1) who has seemingly slipped under the radar here according to most firms. She’s only ran five times but already has a Group 2 and Group 3 on her CV and she wasn’t beaten far on her first attempt at Group 1 company in the Pretty Polly when fourth behind Thundering Nights. It’s plausible to suggest she lacked the experience for a race of that calibre but she kept on strongly late into the action and then got back to winning ways when easily landing the Kilboy Estate Stakes. She’ll need another chunk of improvement in today’s stiffer examination, but she is a high-class filly that is improving by the run and she should be well equipped for her stiffest test to date under ideal conditions with Billy Lee coming over to France to maintain the partnership, too.

HEADSCARF LIL (best price 13-2) makes the long journey from Cumbria for trainer Nicky Richards and jockey Sean Quinlan who have there only runner and ride on the card at the West Midlands venue and, although burdened with top-weight this progressive mare is fancied to potentially take this prize back to Scotland.

This mare by Getaway placed in all four of her bumper races and opened her account at the first time of asking over hurdles, winning at Musselburgh. She has gone on to place in both her outings this term, including when chasing home a horse now rated 117 on her penultimate outing. Her opposition today are rated no higher than 98 and the confirmation for her stamina over three-miles was firmly in evidence last time at Perth, where she looked to be coming with a winning challenge when getting upsides the eventual winner approaching the last, only to walk through the final flight and hand the initiative to the other pair. The handicapper has put her up a pound but she remains lightly-raced for her age with more to offer and should be very difficult to kick out of the frame.

ENOUGH ALREADY (best price 28-1) has been in excellent form this year, winning three times and despite being drawn in stall seventeen, this five-year-old, who drops down in grade following an eye-catching performance when last spotted appeals most with a lot of firms offering five places in the finale.

The last time he competed over a mile, he won with loads in hand under Liam Jones. His latest fifth of 17 in the World Pool Handicap indicated that he’s still in good form, as he stayed on powerfully down the outside of the field to be nearest the finish over seven-furlongs and the drop down in grade here from an unchanged mark with the return to a mile is sure to prove beneficial. He’s generally an habitual slow starter at the gates, so I’m not overly discouraged by his wide-draw as he’ll likely be held-up off the pace in rear with a late charge in mind. The faster they go, the better his chance, and with the form he’s in this term up against plenty who are out of form, he makes decent each-way appeal with a chance of hitting the frame.