Architect Sunday Racing Tips

Michael Scudamore’s LEBOWSKI (best price 13-2) displayed promise in defeat in each of his four bumpers, placing in three of them, while consistently hitting an RPR of 105 and, with the prospect of a set of hurdles sure to see him even better light, he 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 upcoming season. 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 with conditions to suit. 

THOUSAND TEARS (best price 8-1) was very unlucky to finish third when beaten only two lengths a fortnight ago in which Martin Burke deserved great credit for coping with a slipped saddle throughout that contest and the pair are taken to put that incident aside and gain compensation from only a three-pound higher mark in this easier grade or, at the very least, reach the frame with four places on offer. 

He won a very competitive handicap at Killarney in July, where he travelled the best horse in the race before asserting to put the race to bed in a few strides indicated that this career-high mark could be within reach. He wasn’t beaten far behind the likes of Wonder Laish and Peregrine Run at Cork when giving weight to both and was unlucky two weeks ago. He’s up three-pounds but it seems only a matter of time before this well-treated strong-traveller gets his head in front again and this could be that time with everything suiting him more than most.

I rarely select two participants in a single-figure field but in this case, I like the claims of both MASTER DEBONAIR (best price 9-1) and ONE TRUE KING (best price 9-1) here.

The former, now trained by Harry Fry, brings the best piece of form to the table courtesy of his Grade 2 novice hurdle victory at Ascot and, although he was a bit lacklustre towards the backend of last season, he’ll no doubt have been freshened up over the summer and his class might prove decisive on chase debut. 

He was well beaten in three consecutive hot handicaps last season, including most recently on stable debut at Aintree where he burst a blood vessel but he will appreciate the drop in class for today’s chase debut and he goes well fresh, too. Trainer Harry Fry has a good strike-rate at this venue and his seven-year-old looks on a good mark of 137, especially when he beat both Ribble Valley and Tamaroc Du Mathan with considerable ease who are rated 147 and 148 respectively. He probably has a lot more to prove than most but he’s the only one of these to have won a graded affair under these conditions. The top-weight, who’s clear of these on official ratings with Lorcan Murtagh claiming his valuable three-pounds’ is very much the type to make a better chaser, so a chance is taken on him to overhaul some other promising chasing debutants. 

ONE TRUE KING (best price 9-1) ran as if something wasn’t right when beaten out of sight on chase debut at Perth having been strongly-supported in the market but given his smart hurdling form and on the assumption he’s ridden a bit more handier this time round, this six-year-old is no forlorn hope to make a serious impact. 

This enormous six-year-old landed maiden/novice hurdles either side of determined efforts in a pair of highly-competitive Cheltenham handicaps last autumn and was finding plenty for pressure at Ascot until making a bad mistake at the second last at Ascot, handing the initiative to the smart Midnight River. He failed to match that form on his final start of the campaign and was ultimately disappointing last-time-out but he’s better than that and this should reveal a lot more. There are dangers everywhere you turn here but the selection has chasing experience on his side and is in receipt of a stack of weight from his main market protagonists so, providing he doesn’t spit the dummy out, this son of Getaway might take some stopping back down to two-miles.