Architect Friday Racing Tips

This is a cracking novices’ chase despite only the four-runners and preference is for Henry Daly’s 150-rated HONEST VIC (best price 9-2) who established himself to be more than effective in quality races last term, including when fifth in the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle on his final start in that sphere and could easily advance his smart hurdles form at the first time of asking at the Welsh venue. 

Like many of progressive individuals who often find improvement with the fitting of headgear, this strong-travelling eight-year-old seemed to spark to the life with the fitting of a visor last term, landing the Pertemps qualifier at Cheltenham easily twelve months ago on return to action following a creditable fifth in last year’s highly-competitive Grade 3 Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival. His trainer obviously rates him extremely highly and pitched him in against some of the best stayers’ in the business including the likes of Paisley Park and Thyme Hill in the Long Distance Hurdle and acquitted himself well to finish an honourable fifth having cut out the early fractions. He might have been confined to only two starts in that sphere last term, but his record fresh is very good, winning on his last two reappearances and given his frame to make a nice chaser with the drying ground in his favour, he’s a tempting proposition as the outsider of the field being arguably a point or two too big on the form available.

TWILIGHT JET (best price 11-4) might have only won once so far but has been highly tried in his last three races, performing really well in a pair of Group 2’s as well as finishing fifth in the Group 1 Middle Park when last spotted and, with this being a lot easier, the Michael O'Callaghan-trained juvenile should be able showcase his talent over the minimum trip.

This battle-hardened colt couldn’t have been drawn better in stall two and his two placed efforts in the Gimcrack’ and the Champagne Stakes look solid pieces of form, especially his close-up third in the latter race where he was only beaten a length-and-a-half behind Bayside Boy and Reach For The Moon despite pulling hard from an early stage. He hung tough for a long way on that occasion despite racing keenly and improved on that showing when a front-running fifth in the Middle Park thirteen days ago, where he travelled well and had plenty of top-class individuals off the bridle at the halfway stage. He’ll relish the return to these calmer waters and, with front-running tactics likely to be the plan again, a reproduction of any of those latest solid efforts would make him hard to beat being the choice of stable jockey Leigh Roche. 

As soon as the market formed for the Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes, I was very surprised to see PEARL GLORY (best price 4-1) available at this price given how unlucky she was the last day which is the best form on offer and she’s fancied to make amends here with William Buick booked to ride. 

This filly by Cotai Glory recorded two narrow victories in her first two starts before displaying huge improvement when unlucky not to maintain her unbeaten record at Salisbury last time where she was denied a clear run twice before surging home once in the clear to only be beaten a length. The conditions are continuing to try out at HQ and she gives the impression that this extra furlong will suit so she’s a major contender with more to offer. 

An open-looking Group 2 with marginal preference for CHINDIT (best price 7-2), who was better than the bare result in the Celebration Mile when last sighted and, with drying conditions very much his bag, Richard Hannon's consistent three-year-old can round off his campaign with victory here. 

He has exclusively competed on good or quicker ground and, having made it four-from-five when landing the Greenham’, he’s been highly tried in three Group 1’s, running well in each of them. While he isn’t quite up to Group 1 company, he may have finished second at the very least last time with a clear passage in the Celebration Mile and, granted luck in running, I can see him the top-rated runner in the field going close here. 

BROKEN SPEAR (best price 28-1), has posted some good efforts in defeat since scoring at Chester in May including when strong at the finish on his last two visits to this venue when not beaten far in good-quality handicaps and Tony Coyle’s likeable campaigner looks fair each-way value with five/six places widely on offer. 

He’s been set some stiff tasks during his career but has continued to hold his form well, including over course-and-distance twice this year, where he’s finished like a train from off the pace to be fifth of 11 and then eighth of 17 back there next time. The handicapper has left him on his winning mark which is surprising given how consistently he’s been performing this year and, if the wide draw isn’t too much of an inconvenience, I can envisage this five-year-old exceeding market expectations as he’s certainly worth an each-way interest with plenty of ammunition under his belt to make some sort of an impact. 

Paul Nicholls might have saddled the winner of the 4-Y-O Hurdle race at Chepstow seven time since 2007 but I am drawn to the claims of both HERBIERS (best price 10-1) and CASA LOUPI (best price 13-2), who both arrive here seeking a hat-trick and are worth an interest at the forecast odds. 

The former, trained by Gary Moore, delivered on his earlier hurdling promise when bagging two wins in April and makes his handicap debut today from a lenient-looking mark. He had previously finished second in a Grade 2 and was unlucky not to win at Stratford next time his rider lost his irons before the final flight with the race seemingly at his mercy. There’s the possibility that he’ll get competition for the lead but he’s very talented and could be tough to beat if fully wound up for his reappearance.

The latter, trained by Oliver Greenall, did little wrong when switched to hurdles last season, winning back-to-back valuable handicaps earlier in the year and has record form figures of 31211 in this sphere. He doesn’t have Paddy Brennan in the plate this time around who is retained by Fergal O’Brien to ride Elham Valley, but that doesn’t diminish the interest and the way he won last-time-out suggested he has even more to come this term. He’s been hit with an eight-pound rise, but has plenty of scope and potential to kick on again this season and, with a strong pace likely to play into his hands alongside the fact that he’s done us wonders three times for this column, he offers a lot of value as an each-way contender.

The Copper Knight - Winning Most Horse At York Handicap has attracted a large-field of twenty runners and the one I like is JABBAROCKIE (best price 18-1), who offered a revival when only beaten two-lengths in a quality-looking handicap last time and could prove dangerous to pass with five places available, especially if the first-time blinkers have a positive outcome here. 

This eight-year-old made-all twice in the spring at this level and has yet to run a bad race at this track including when an excellent front-running sixth of 21 in the Sky Bet And Symphony Group Handicap from a pound higher mark. He lost his form a little bit after going pillar-to-post at Chester but ran well for a long way when last spotted and he compete here from a handy mark. Joanna Mason is an interesting jockey booking, who takes off three-pounds, and with reason to believe high-drawn numbers are favoured here as they tend to race down the stands side, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if he were to launch a bold bid from the front in stall twenty.