Architect Saturday Racing Tips

The Grade Two hasn’t attracted a big field but it certainly is a fascinating line-up with marginal preference for FANTASTIKAS (best price 5-2), who made a winning chase debut just over three weeks ago and is worth a crack at this level. He enjoyed a good first season over hurdles, where he’d won once and reached the frame four times from five outings, including when narrowly touched off by Threeunderthrufive in the bet365 Scottish Stayers Novices' Hurdle at Musselburgh. He is effectively five-pounds worse off at the weights in the rematch with Paul Nicholls’ charge, but was always going to make a better chase given his size and scope and he shouldn’t be underestimated despite being the lowest-rated of the trio.

The Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Registered As The Bristol Novices' Hurdle looks a really good event and, although I respect the opposition and the fact that connections believe she’ll find this tougher, the Evan Williams-trained CURRENT MOOD (best price 20-1) gets a handy mares’ allowance and can go well at double-figure odds. She won her first two starts over hurdles and was a very solid third in a Grade Two here last time, where she made a bold bid from the front and was only headed jumping the final hurdle. To her credit, however, she kept on well up the hill to be beaten around five-lengths and with form figures in her career reading 323112113 (inc point-to-points), she looks the most glaring each-way proposition at the prices. 

I find it strange not to see KNIGHT SALUTE (best price 7-2) much shorter in the betting, who undoubtedly brings the best form to the table, courtesy of his smooth Grade Two victory at Cheltenham four weeks ago, and is expected to make a bold effort to remain unbeaten over hurdles. He’s currently three-from-three in this sphere and his potent turn of foot has left all opposition trailing in his wake. I know he has to concede weight to all rivals, but I doubt he’s reached the ceiling of his ability and Milton Harris’ leading contender looks the best value in the race. 

HUNTERS CALL (best price 20-1) may have a stiff task ahead of him given his age but he’s a class horse on his day and benefitted from wind surgery when destroying a good field at Bangor on seasonal debut last time. He has plenty of experience at this venue and is likely to get a good pace to aim as connections have stated he’ll be ridden cold to come late with his customary surge. The forecast conditions will be in his favour and his latest success certainly indicates that he can be competitive once more.
 

A case can be made for a few of these but none more so than Kim Bailey’s TWO FOR GOLD (best price 3-1), who is only a pound higher than when winning at Warwick in March and can five weight and a beating to this field and hand connections with another winner in this event having won it twelve months ago. He tends to save his best for his seasonal debut as his record first-time-out reads 1412, while his figures lower than listed class reads 111141131. David Bass, his regular jockey, travels to Doncaster for his only ride on the card in the finale and therefore the top-weight is strongly fancied to make his class tell in the closing stages. 

Alan King is three-handed in the mares handicap hurdle, the final race on the card, and I am going to give another chance to HER INDOORS (best price 8-1), who won twice last season, including at Cheltenham and has kept on progressing since. She was beaten somewhat fifteen lengths at Wetherby last time, which can be recognised as a slightly below-par effort, but she should appreciate the step up in distance today under suitable conditions, while the booking of Harry Cobden is no negative, either.