Architect Thursday Racing Tips

All five of these make their chasing debuts but NADA TO PRADA (best price 9-4) (NAP) has won three of her five starts, including a listed event on heavy ground, so with fitness likely to be no issue and conditions in her favour, this six-year-old mare gets the vote to continue her excellent strike-rate under rules. 

She won her only bumper outing on debut last term and won two of her four starts over hurdles, including when winning a listed event in which she defeated the useful Rayna’s World. Her third in the Grade 2 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle trial can be upgraded as she was hampered on the home-bend but kept on strongly all the way to the line and had four lengths to spare over Anythingforlove, who she meets on better terms today. The form was boosted by the winner Falvoir scoring on chase bow subsequently and given she’s built to excel as a chaser, she could well advance her form at the first attempt over fences here with her yard among the winners. 

MI LADDO (best price 5-1) was pulled out of a race earlier in the week presumably in favour of this assignment and off bottom-weight, this five-year-old gelding can put his experience to good use with conditions in his favour. 

He scored for the first time in April over hurdles following a sequence of good efforts in defeat and hasn’t been disgraced the last two times when coming from off the pace to be a never-nearer fifth on both occasions. His useful claimer takes off three-pounds and despite meeting unexposed sorts, I can see him running a big race here, particularly if they go a good gallop which will certainly help this hold-up performer who likes to be delivered late onto the scene and with his stable in good form, too. 

CHARMING KID (best price 11-4) showed his trademark blistering speed when holding on at Wolverhampton when last spotted and given the handicapper has only raised him a pound for that success, Dean Ivory’s charge may follow-up in a race lacking any strength in depth. 

He was thought very highly of as a two-year-old, where he was pitched into events such as the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and the July Stakes at Newmarket, finishing third in the latter of those. He’s proved to be very effective under these conditions, placing twice off marks of 80 and 83 last year in better events, as well as going close on his sole course start last autumn, so his mark remains within range. The form of his latest victory isn’t anything to shout about but he has improved with each outing for this stable and, providing Adam Kirby can get him into a prominent role, similar to last time, this five-year-old could prove tough to catch. 

I also like the claims of the much-improved HYDE PARK BARRACKS (best price 11-2), who made all to score at Bath on his penultimate outing and is likely to continue his good work ethic following a creditable second at Wolverhampton seventeen days ago. 

He duly opened his account for the year when I tipped him in my column at Bath, as he made all-the-running to see off his three rivals and ran as well as could have been expected at Wolverhampton last time to finish a clear second. He was no match for the winner last time but the assessor has left his mark unaltered and he remains nicely treated on past form, especially when trained by Aidan O’Brien. It won’t be easy trying to dictate matters from the front here with plenty of other confirmed pacesetters in the field, but the good news is that he’s in-form, has a good draw and should have more to offer for connections.