Architect Friday Racing Tips

Ruth Jefferson has her only runner of the day in the form of SOUNDS RUSSIAN (best price 5-1), who has shown a fair amount of ability in finishing runner-up in all three starts in novice/maiden hurdles prior to an eye-catching fourth on handicap/chase debut here last time and appears as the one to concentrate on in the Bank A Winner With MansionBet Handicap Chase. 

His debut was full of promise as he was only beaten a length by the 135 plus-rated No Ordinary Joe who’s scored again since and has lost nothing in defeat in two starts since in decent company, including in the Grade Three Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham. The six-year-old was sympathetically handled on chase debut last time here, where he jumped really well and kept on strongly in the closing stages under hands and heels. He is open to significant improvement over this longer trip, so he makes a lot of each-way appeal.

ONE TRUE KING (best price 9-2) left his chasing debut behind him a front-running second last month in a very good race for the grade and, with the addition of cheekpieces applied, the top-weight is fancied to make a bold bid and potentially go one better. 

This enormous six-year-old was smart over hurdles in which he produced fair efforts in a pair of highly-competitive Cheltenham handicaps last autumn and was finding plenty off the bridle at Ascot until making a bad mistake at the second last at Ascot behind the smart Midnight River. This son of Getaway jumped nicely when last spotted in this sphere and may well have won without idling late into the action having looked in control for much of the journey. He is sure to appreciate these fences that come thick and fast under a likely positive ride and, if Jordan Nailor can judge the fractions right in these calmer waters, his mount might take some stopping. 

Ben Pauling’s THE COB (best price 9-1) was pulled out of a race the other week due to the ground and should be well served for the softer conditions here under a nice weight with the possibility of going well on his return with four places widely available. 

He improved throughout the whole of last season and was deemed good enough to compete in the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival. He failed to land a blow that day but that was a deep edition of the event and this task is far more simple. Daryl Jacob takes the ride and his mount’s record first-time-out reads 1232 so he won’t lack fitness, either. William Henry and Al Dancer are the main dangers but the selection was a nine-length winner of a Grade Two last term and therefore he should go very well back in handicap company here.  

Sam Thomas has two participants in the finale in the shape of William Henry and AL DANCER (best price 13-2) with a preference for the latter, who has a good record in this sphere (4-5) and his forecast price is more than fair from an each-way point of view with four places on offer. 

He failed to fire on stable debut at Cheltenham but was sent off just second-favourite for the Paddy Power Gold Cup so better was clearly expected. He was third in that race twelve months earlier from a mark of 154 and beat a 160-rated horse on his reappearance last term so his reduced mark of eight-pounds to 146 back over hurdles makes him extremely well-treated now eased in grade. His trainer has looked to balance up his reduced mark with a useful seven-pounds claimer. He’s become a little expensive to follow of late, but I am clinging to the hope that all of the positive combinations can play to his strengths and therefore a reproduction and of his best form would see him as a major threat to the remainder of the field at this level.