Architect Wednesday Racing Tips

This is a wide-open renewal of the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Novice Chase and the price tag about the Willie Mullins-trained BACARDYS (best price 12-1) significantly underestimates his chances here. The ten-year-old was a dual Grade 1-winning hurdler in 2017 and has placed in multiple Grade 1’s since, including when third in the 2020 Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. He is error-prone, which has cost him a few races, such as his fall at the final fence in a beginners’ chase at this meeting in 2018 when looking set to collect. However, he made an excellent seasonal debut, where he jumped well despite going to the left at times, finishing a six-length second to Bob Olinger and the form was advertised by the third, Master Mcshee, who won a Grade 1 at Limerick. The market much prefers the chances of his stablemate Ontheropes but it is the David Mullins’ mount that interests me more than all of these. While he has not proved the most consistent over the past couple of seasons, he has shown on numerous occasions that he is capable of high-class form and, with a clear round, he can present a major threat to all in this line-up. 

Ruth Jefferson’s SOUNDS RUSSIAN (best price 5-2), who had showed 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, absolutely bolted up at Sedgefield last month, beating a subsequent winner by ten-lengths and could be still ahead of the handicapper as he bids to follow-up in the Children's Immunology Trust Novices' Limited Handicap Chase. The six-year-old jumped and travelled really well before he quickened away impressively to beat a useful field with the minimum of fuss under Jamie Hamilton. He’s gone up ten pounds for that emphatic victory but has further improvement to come on just his third start over fences with conditions in his favour and therefore can follow-up here. 

I am really surprised Jeremy Scott’s Grade 1-winning chaser DASHEL DRASHER (best price 4-1) isn’t favourite for this event, who gets his ground, brings the best form to the table and can take this before going back over fences next time. The eight-year-old is undoubtedly the class act in the field and very tough front-runner, who won a Grade 1 on his penultimate outing was last seen in this sphere completing a four-timer, including when bagging a course-and-distance success. You can make a reference that he’s always needed his seasonal debut but I thought he ran quite well to finish third in a Grade Two when last spotted at Ascot. His mark of 149 back over hurdles looks really exploitable and makes him well-treated when you compare his chase mark of 162 and, with this being a pretty weak event despite giving a stack of weight to some progressive types, he should make a bold bid from the front with four places widely on offer. 

This is competitive but GERICAULT ROQUE (best price 4-1) pushed a subsequent winner close at Chepstow last time and can go one better with this track likely to bring about improvement. This progressive five-year-old won two of his three starts over hurdles and stepped up on his chase debut third when making up a ton of ground to force a photo with the useful Pat’s Fancy earlier this month at Chepstow. He’s gone up four-pounds as a result but considering the winner followed-up off a ten-pound higher mark, he looks nicely treated here and gets the each-way vote in the Follow MansionBetRace On Twitter Mandarin Handicap Chase with more to come and four places widely available.

COOL MIX (best price 9-2) is a reliable servant for connections and has looked as good as ever this term, including last time, where he ran well to finish fourth in the highly-competitive Rehearsal Handicap Chase when last spotted behind Aye Right, a race he finished third in the year before. This nine-year-old is only three-pounds above his last winning mark and generally competes in higher-grade events than this and was even good enough to finish fifth in this year’s edition of the Scottish Grand National. His best form has come on slightly better going but he does have form on soft and should be suited to the strong pace that he’s likely to get here so, with three places on offer, he makes plenty of each-way appeal dropped in grade. 

The feature race of the day, the Grade 1 Challow Novices' Hurdle, and I’m siding with the improving LOSSIEMOUTH (best price 3-1) who’s the clear top-rated in the field at 144 and has looked a different proposition since the application of blinkers having returned a good twelve-length winner of a Grade Two last time. The softer ground here looks a major plus towards his chances and that latest victory looks the best form on offer. He’s clearly thriving this term and, although others have scope to improve, the six-year-old has a lot of things in his favour and can take the step up in class in his stride by putting himself in the picture for a trip to the Cheltenham Festival in March.