Architect Saturday Racing Tips

SKY PIRATE (best price 10-3) has a lot of weight but the nine-year-old is clear of these on official ratings and impressed when winning this event twelve months ago. He’s produced three solid-placed efforts this term, including in a Grade Two last time and, with this field being a lot easier despite coming up against two young and progressive individuals, last year’s Grand Annual winner should get a good pace to aim at and can follow-up in this race for the second consecutive year. 

CHAMPAGNE COURT (best price 10-3) has been in good form last year and capitalised on an attractive mark at Exeter last time over hurdles under today’s rider. This looks the right time for Jeremy Scott to send him back over fences off a career-low chasing mark and, based upon his previous chase form with conditions completely in his favour, the nine-year-old should go very well here. 

DEFI DU SEUIL (best price 4-1) has clearly become unpredictable but the last time he competed over this trip resulted with a Grade 1 victory and he did shape a lot better than the beaten margin indicated at Ascot last time. He might not be the force of old but he comes out best at the weights here and this track should suit his running-style. He’s the only multiple Grade 1 winner in the field and, despite having a bit to prove at present, Philip Hobbs’ star performer will be too good for these if back on track. 

This tends to be a good race each year and I’ll take a chance on the once-raced SCIPION (best price 9-1), who cost a lot money and ran well on hurdles debut to finish second to subsequent Grade 1 runner-up Jetoile. His trainer Tom Lacey won this last year and this promising six-year-old is clearly well-regarded to be tackling this Grade Two on his just second career outing. He’s open to considerable improvement and, with the extra furlong sure to suit, he’s an appealing each-way proposition at a double-figure price. 

COBBLERS DREAM (best price 12-1) is an improving youngster, who has the right sort of profile for this and made a winning handicap debut at Doncaster last month in good style, easily beating a couple of very solid horses. He has been hit with a six-pound rise but he’s won two of his four hurdle starts and looks as though this longer trip will suit. This looks to have been a long-term plan by his handler and he’s an appealing each-way price with most firms offering five places. 

Dan Skelton and Bridget Andrews came close to winning this three years ago and they team up with CABOT CLIFFS (best price 25-1) this year, who should be suited to conditions and the step up in distance. The five-year-old scored three times in this sphere last term and has caught the eye in two runs in defeat this season, including at Ascot last time when doing all of his best work in the latter stages. He’s been eased a pound to help matters and, with the five places widely available, I can see him running a big race here. 

The Classic Chase doesn’t look as competitive as previous renewals and I like two in this year’s event. Firstly the Lucinda Russell-trained CORACH RAMBLER (best price 6-1), who could pose a serious threat off top-weight. The eight-year-old has won his last two starts in the style of a nice stayer and will bid to follow in the footsteps of previous stablemate One For Arthur, who won this for rider and trainer a few years ago. Derek Fox and Lucinda Russell know what it takes to do well in these marathon events and, with stamina looking his strong-suit against horses who mainly need improvement and are exposed, this eight-year-old makes a lot of appeal with five places widely on offer. 

ECLAIR SURF (best price 12-1) hasn’t got his jumping together in this sphere so far but that hasn’t stopped him winning twice and Emma Lavelle, who has her only runner on the card, looks to have laid out this eight-year-old for the Classic Chase. This lightly-raced chaser won’t be inconvenienced by conditions and bypassed the Welsh Grand National in order to have a good at this assignment instead. He has a shed load of potential as a staying chaser and therefore a bold display could be forthcoming with five places on offer under Tom Bellamy, who interestingly, has his only ride of the day, too. 

KITTY’S LIGHT (best price 5-1) had a fine first campaign over fences, winning four times, and has taken his form up another notch this term, who was second in the Grade Two Charlie Hall at Wetherby. He bounced back from a rare blip in the Ladbrokes Trophy when fourth over today’s course-and-distance last time on unsuitable ground and, with Jack Tudor reunited in the saddle off a four-pound lower mark with the better ground anticipated, the six-year-old should be ready to return to the winner’s enclosure against an inconsistent field. 

The Alan King-trained GRISBI DE BERCE (best price 7-1) is a strong-traveller, who caught the eye when fourth last-time-out. He’d earlier looked set to score at Market Rasen, only to fall at the final hurdle. The return to this trip with a strong-pace scenario will suit this six-year-old with Johnny Burke maintaining the partnership. He remains open to improvement and is on a lenient mark so, with this race sure to suit, he offers plenty of value to finish in the frame at the very least in the finale.