Architect Wednesday Racing Tips

I K BRUNEL (best price 7-2) seemed to go off the boil last season but his latest third on return to chasing at Carlisle was certainly a step back in the right direction and this longer trip will be in his favour, too. The seven-year-old was rated as high as 138 over the smaller obstacles, who’s had just three starts in this sphere, so remains open to improvement. It was encouraging with how well he travelled last time before a mistake at the second last put him on the back-foot which led to him getting outpaced until doing all of his best work in the closing stages. The handicapper has dropped him two-pounds, which seems generous, and he should be more than able to plant himself right in the picture here against the front pair in the market. 

I have gone over this race multiple times so hopefully we get it right and, although both Last Quarter and Another Crick warrant respect, I just can’t see past the Ryan Potter-trained JETOILE (best price 11-8), who looks the one to be on in the Richard Litchfield Retirement Novices' Hurdle. The six-year-old caught the eye on his stable/hurdles debut when third behind two improving rivals at Cheltenham – who both had the benefit of hurdling experience. He jumped and travelled really well for one having his first attempt at such a demanding track and, despite being headed jumping the final flight, he rallied in determined fashion to only be beaten around a length. The form has been well showcased by the first and second winning impressively next time out and Ryan Potter’s charge put that experience to good use with a dominant display at Chepstow by nine-lengths next time. His performance can be upgraded, too, as it was backed up by the clock, so with conditions unlikely to pose a problem, he looks capable of shouldering a penalty, especially knowing if he were from a more high-profile yard he’d probably be even shorter than his current price. 

There’s a really nice-looking novices’ hurdle event at Newbury, where Richard Spencer’s WONDERWALL (best price 7-2) gets the verdict to make a winning hurdles debut. He undoubtedly brings the best bumper form to the table, courtesy of his debut win at Ascot, his third-place effort in a listed event back there next time before faring second-best of the British when seventh in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival. His third on his penultimate outing, looks really good form too, as he chased home the highly-promising duo of Paul Nicholls in the shape of Knappers Hill and Stage Star, and the form has been positively advertised, with the first and second making the perfect transition to this sphere. This son of Yeats has the potential to become a high-class horse in this discipline and, although Shearer has the hurdles experience, he comfortably held that one at Cheltenham and a polished round of jumping at the first time of asking looks sure to see him go close.