Architect Sunday Racing Tips

An interesting Join Racing TV Now Novices' Hurdle to start proceedings at Carlisle but the Lucinda Russell-trained GREEN VAULT (best price 5-1) is the only runner to have race fitness on his side and that could prove crucial at the business end of this affair. 

He made a winning rules debut in a bumper when trained in Ireland, comfortably beating Famous Bridge by over four-lengths and ran well on his hurdles debut for Lucinda Russell earlier this month when beaten only a couple of lengths. His victory first-time-out was on heavy ground so the forecast soft conditions here will hold no fears and this track should be more suitable, too. The likes of Harper’s Brook and Here Comes The Man are feared but both have a long absence to overcome and, in the hope Derek Fox can utilise his fitness over the remainder with a positive ride, he must have every chance of going close in a race of this nature. 

Cape Gentleman jumped neatly when winning on chase debut and has race fitness on his side but the Mouse Morris-trained FRENCH DYNAMITE (best price 6-1) has a touch of class about him, who looked highly progressive over hurdles last season and can give most of these plenty to think about in this intriguing Grade 3 event. 

This smart six-year-old has won three of nine starts, as well as finishing runner-up in a pair of Grade 2’s, and wasn’t disgraced at the top level twice, either. He returned from a nine-month absence to be beaten just half-a-length in the Lismullen Hurdle behind Sire Du Berlais who subsequently boosted the form to finish second in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. That effort in defeat displayed the capabilities of French Dynamite and he followed that up with another good second behind Stormy Ireland, with fourteen-lengths back to the third Sixshooter who impressed on his chasing debut just a few days ago. His latest display, when fourth in Ireland’s Stayers Hurdle to Klassical Dream, deserved a lot more praise as he fared best of those ridden prominently and did well to hold his pitch for so long given the furious gallop he had set from the offset. Interestingly, he’s the the only runner in the line-up making their chasing debut but connections clearly think highly of him to supplement him in such a competitive event first-time-out as they could have found him a much easier introduction to start his campaign. Given he’s a winning point-to-pointer and the manner in which he conducts himself on the racetrack in the utmost professional manner, he appeals as the type to do better in this discipline, especially under a prominent ride over this shorter trip in which he should take some catching with a clear round. 

This looks wide-open but the consistent MINT CONDITION (best price 7-1) had a brilliant last campaign in which he won three times, as well placing in a Grade 2 before chasing home the 150-rated Wilde About Oscar when last spotted and his tough and reliable attitude will stand him in good stead on his seasonal reappearance. 

He could only manage fourth on his penultimate outing in a Grade 2 but the winner ran well in a Grade 1 at the Cheltenham Festival. Jennie Candlishs’ seven-year-old has been a revelation for connections so far in his career and was unlucky to be narrowly denied in another Grade 2 at Warwick back in January when touched off by a neck. He’ll be very much in his element under these conditions as all of his best form has been ground ranging from soft-to-heavy and, with the assessor leaving his mark unaltered and Kielen Woods in the plate, who has a good record on this seven-year-old, he looks set to pose a serious threat on his return to action.

There’s no disguising the bright start the Skelton’s have made to the season and one of their smart horses - CADZAND (best price 11-8) will make his eagerly-awaited chasing/handicap debut and is selected to get the better of Miller's Bank in the MansionBet Best Odds Guaranteed Novices' Chase. 

He had taken well to hurdles last term, winning twice, as well as finishing second twice with his only below-par effort coming in last season’s Betfair Hurdle when managing midfield in which he was sent off favourite. He bounced next time in which defied a double penalty back in novice company at Southwell in March, displaying a good turn of foot to settle matters quickly. Millers Bank was last seen finishing third in the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle and is the current favourite for this event. He could take some beating on chase debut if that big performance doesn’t prove to be a ‘flash in the pan’ but the former may have too much speed for the latter on this occasion over today’s shorter distance and I’ll take my chances on Dan Skelton’s charge potentially landing the spoils.