Architect Monday Racing Tips

This division two novices’ hurdle has attracted ten runners but there’s two I’m going to play against the field. Dan Skelton has an excellent record in this race and his hurdling debutant GREATEST STAR (best price 10-3) is fancied to belatedly get off the mark at the first time of asking in this sphere for his stable who has won this twice previously. 

This five-year-old was consistent in defeat across all three bumpers last term and has undergone wind surgery since he was last spotted. All of his bumper form has worked out nicely given each piece of form has either produced winners or horses that have reached the frame at a more demanding level. It’s interesting Harry Skelton comes here for a couple of rides instead of riding Shannon Bridge elsewhere and I feel as though this horse is the reason behind that decision so, with a sufficient round of jumping, his mount is heavily respected on hurdles debut with even more to offer. 

I’ll also take the same positive view about Michael Scudamore’s LEBOWSKI (best price 7-1) who displayed promise in defeat in each of his four bumpers, placing in three of them, while consistently hitting an RPR of 105 and has reasonable each-way credentials. 

His latest two efforts look key form, though, as the winner from each heat, Super Six and Washington, have scored impressively over hurdles since and appeal as above-average types for the season ahead. This six-year-old has subsequently joined his new trainer, who’s capable of getting one ready on hurdles debut and he could be more than capable of playing a leading role with all that bumper experience to draw upon under Richard Patrick and conditions to suit. 

There’s no disguising the fantastic start Ben Pauling has made to the campaign having sent out multiple winners of late and I really like the claims of his sole participant here in the shape of RAF TAVEL (best price 11-1) who’s lurking on a dangerous mark and can have a say in the argument under Daryl Jacob. 

He was very smart when trained in France, achieving form figures of 2231 from four outings and, although he started life in the UK off a lofty mark, 141 and then 137 to be precise, he performed with credit to finish third in a pair of novice hurdles around the two-mile trip at the start of the year. He’ll need more improvement here, of course, but he’s only a five-year-old and this longer trip is well worth exploring and may help in fact. His high-enough mark when starting out in the UK was based on his excellent third place effort behind the highly-regarded James Du Berlais. In addition, the assessor has dropped him a handy seven-pounds which is really lenient and Daryl Jacob maintains the partnership who has actually ridden the other participant Breaking Waves regularly of late. His positive claims are supported by his stable’s form and, with even better to come this campaign, Ben Pauling’s unexposed team-member makes more than enough appeal to warrant each-way consideration here. 

There are a few to consider here but the top-weight COTTON END (best price 12-1) is sure to benefit from the ease in grade and is handed the initial vote on return to Hereford, where she’s enjoyed success in the past. 

Sheila Lewis’ mare has run two excellent races here from three starts at this venue, including an easy 14-length victory last year. She fell when about to give the progressive Maksada a serious challenge and that horse is now much higher in the handicap. She also has some other good form in the book, including when beating subsequent Welsh Champion Hurdle winner Glory And Fortune and Get Back Get Back. She was far too keen at Ludlow and failed to see out the trip last time but that should have sorted out her fitness and the drop back to the minimum trip looks a positive move by connections. She takes a significant drop in grade and might be worth a chance at a double-figure price being below her last winning mark. 

Bryony Frost did remarkably well to get NEVERBEEN TO PARIS (best price 11-2) home in third eight days ago in a better race than this and, from an unchanged mark, he might be on the verge of ending a long losing run for connections. 

Pat Murphy’s charge has become very well-handicapped at present, who bolted up in a chase last year off a mark of 122 and ran well in a pair of highly-competitive handicap hurdle events at Newbury, finishing third in a class-two in November before sixth back in March earlier this year. His latest third under Bryony was another step in the right direction and a reproduction of that sort of form certainly gives him hope of landing the finale as most of today’s opposition are way too inconsistent and make limited appeal.