Architect Saturday Racing Tips

The market leader, Fearby, has a lot going for him on these terms and is the likely winner but I’m all about trying to find some value. STUBBLE FIELD (best price 12-1) showed plenty of ability when pushing the winner close late on at Ascot on debut four weeks ago and might be the each-way value here getting so much weight from the former with five places widely available. 

This filly was only a cheap purchase but showed a good attitude and plenty of speed to push the winner close on debut who had the benefit of experience and it’s clear that connections have had this race in mind ever since she crossed the line that day. She’ll need a good chunk of improvement to come out on top but she gets in here off a featherweight and Liam Jones retains the ride, too. The ground will be spot on for her and given she ticks all the main trends for this assignment, she gets the each-way nod in a race that doesn't look as competitive as the numbers indicate.

Valia is expected to prove hard to beat but, besides the market leader, the line-up for the Qatar Prix de Royallieu doesn’t look as deep as previous renewals and knowing the British raiders do well here, the Ralph Beckett-trained YESYES (best price 14-1) will have conditions in her favour and should have more to offer with James Doyle in the saddle. 

There was a lot to like about her victory at Chester, where she won with more in hand than the short-head indicated at the end. She travelled powerfully throughout and did well to win the war with Dancing King, who subsequently won a Group 3 to strengthen the form. Prior to that victory, she was behind Save A Forest at Newmarket in July but stayed on well into fourth and ran well to finish third in the Park Hill last time despite conditions being rather quick. She did, however, win on debut on soft ground so the more rain the better her chances and, although she’ll need more improvement in her first crack at the highest level, she might be a big player under a positive ride.

EPONA PLAYS (best price 20-1) seems to have been completely overlooked in the Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes itself, but is certainly worth an each way interest with four places on offer. 

This ultra-consistent campaigner has looked better than ever this season, winning impressively in Group 3 and Group 2 events on soft and heavy ground. She has ultimately come up just short in a pair of Group 1 affairs of late but wasn’t beaten far in either of them, including when getting to within two-lengths of both Mother Earth and No Speak Alexander last time, where she did all of her best work late-on to be nearest the finish. The forecast rain can only enhance her credentials and this uphill climb to the line should play to her strengths, too. The only caveat I have with her, though, is a wide-berth in stall-twelve but she’s a smart filly who doesn’t know how to run a bad race and, at the current prices, she looks great each-way value as she doesn’t have as much to find with those towards the top end of the market as the betting 

GLEN SHIEL (best price 7-2) wasn't seen to best effect in Haydock's Sprint Cup and at Deauville the time before that but it’s plausible to suggest the ground was an excuse each time so the drop back in grade under these suitable conditions on return to his favourite venue should see him resume winning ways. 

Archie Watson’s likeable sprinter was second in the Golden Jubilee here in June and has been keeping stronger company than this all season. He might not have been at his best the last two times but he’s rated clear of these on official ratings and the underfoot conditions will be right up his street. His form at this track over course-and-distance reads an impressive win and second, with both of those figures coming at the highest level. His second to Dream Of Dreams here is the best form on offer by a long stretch given the third, Art Power, won a Group 3 at the Curragh last month. He’s up against some progressive youngsters but it’s difficult not seeing him putting in another good day's work at his favourite hunting ground with a lot in his favour and if it wasn’t for his latest two starts, he’d be a lot shorter in the betting to win this event. 

MOJOMAKER (best price 6-1) ran a blinder to come from an unpromising position to finish fifth of 20 in a valuable sales event at York and, on the assumption he'll get a good pace to aim at with a clear passage, I can see David Loughnane’s charge going close here with four places widely available. 

He performed really well to overcome poor track-positioning when a keeping-on fifth in the Group 3 Markel Molecomb Stakes on his penultimate outing and, before that, he had pushed subsequent Group 2 winner, Asymmetric to half-a-length and that form is some of the strongest on display here given the winner is now rated 110. He then comfortably went one better next time out by six-lengths and lost little in defeat over the same course-and-distance when second to Fearby in the Dragon Stakes. He was behind that same rival in a strong-looking Molecomb Stakes but came from well off the pace to be a never-nearer fifth and matched that form when fifth at York last month. That form has a strong look it as the winner, Ever Given, finished second at Doncaster, the runner-up, Atomic Lady, went close in the Two Yrs Old Trophy Stakes, the fourth, Wings Of War, won the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes and plenty of others who were in behind have emerged as subsequent winners. He should be in his element on this track and holds rock-solid each-way credentials.

The Qatar Prix Dollar looks an excellent renewal and last year’s runner-up PATRICK SARSFIELD (best price 8-1) has a big chance of going one better this time around being only one of a couple in the field who will relish the soft ground and the ease in grade having mixed it with the best when last spotted. 

He returned as a Group 3 winner in the summer and ran a fine race to finish second in this race twelve months ago on heavy ground. He was not far off his best in the Champion Stakes on his latest start when attempting to make all against the likes of St Mark’s Basilica, Poetic Flare and Tarnawa - the favourite for tomorrow’s Arc and will find this a lot easier. Joseph O’Brien’s five-year-old has been running consistently all of this year, as he often does each term, and with plenty of positives in his favour, his forecast price from an each-way perspective is more than fair in my view.