Architect Sunday Racing Tips

Empire De Maulde has to be respected making the long journey from Scotland under the champion Brian Hughes but despite the ground being on the quick side, the class act in the field, YALA ENKI (best price 11-4), is rated clear of these on official ratings and can go one better than he did twelve months ago under Bryony Frost. 

He is a fantastic stayer who has placed in the last three Welsh Nationals and came ever-so-close to winning this twelve months ago when beaten a short-head by an ultra-tough David Pipe-trained inmate. This year’s renewal looks a lot easier on the face of it, though, despite the eleven-year-old conceding a chunk of weight to the whole field. His chances are increased with his good record fresh let alone his ability to win a race off this mark and, with his stable among the winners, Bryony Frost can guide this proven stayer to success. 

A typically tough renewal of this highly-competitive handicap but those towards the top-end of the weights appear to be the ones to focus on this year, especially with up to six places available. 

The first one I like is the David Pipe-trained ADAGIO (best price 16-1), who was one of the best juvenile hurdlers last season, winning the Grade 1 Finale at Chepstow before an excellent second in the Triumph here. He then filled the same spot behind Monmiral at Aintree in another Grade 1 event and was in the process of pushing the current Fighting Fifth Hurdle favourite close until a blunder at the last so his latest effort can be upgraded. He has to carry top-weight but he’s yet to finish outside the top-two in all starts over hurdles, has the course form in his inventory and is the only top-level winner in the field. He’s also undergone wind surgery since we last saw him and his owners know what it takes to win this event having won it eight years ago with Dell’ Arca. It’s a bold move knowing that connections have bypassed the Fighting Fifth in order to tackle this assignment and their participant has the capabilities to play a leading role off top-weight as those towards the top-end of the handicap tend to run very well in this Grade 3 affair year after year. With all the positives taken into account, I think David Pipe’s top-class youngster has got a cracking each-way chance and looks great each-way value at the morning odds.

Trainer Alan King has a good record in this race having won two of the last four renewals and solely relies on TRITONIC (best price 10-1) this time around, who should be spot on for this following an encouraging second here on return in a muddling affair. 

He hasn’t been able to match the form of his Grade 2 win last year and could only manage fifth in the Triumph Hurdle, but he remains with potential and this mark of 142 looks well within range, especially with a big field/strong pace scenario likely to bring about further improvement. His masterful trainer also stated that he left plenty to work on after his second last time and this event has clearly been his long-term target so, with more to offer and provided he can keep those errors at bay, this four-year-old is a major each-way player with six places widely available.