Architect Tuesday Racing Tips

Ucanaver will find this a lot easier than when fifth in a listed event at Taunton but, at a huge price, FIRE LAKE (best price 15-2) isn’t a mare to be underestimated, who was just as good as the former in bumpers and should be ready to run a big race on her second attempt at this sphere for the Milton Harris team. 

This five-year-old was second on debut by a neck before going one better at Taunton which led to her competing in a pair of listed events at Cheltenham and Huntingdon. The first of those, she was given a lot to do but stayed on nicely to take seventh of 15 in the Cotswolds and matched that form when fourth on her penultimate outing, where she displayed even further promise as she raced keenly but finished her race very strongly. She probably would have finished a good fourth with a clear run too and, although she was let down by her jumping on hurdles debut, that experience will have done her the world of good ahead of today’s assignment. Mathematically, I think she’s at least the second best horse in the race based on bumper evidence and, with plenty of optimism that she will display an improved round of hurdling, Milton Harris’ mare, at the current prices, looks great each-way value under Harry Reed.

BLUMEN GLORY (best price 7-1) has been running consistently well in higher-grade events than this so far for connections, placing in six of his ten starts, and can make his presence felt off top-weight in this drop in class for the first time. His RPR’s and form in general is the best on offer and it’s interesting to see Tom Scudamore stay loyal to him rather than ride Shot Boii for his main boss, David Pipe. He ran very nicely to finish second on his first at three-miles last month and, with more to come, Neil Mulholland’s charge has a strong chance of breaking his duck over hurdles in a race that is lacking strength in depth. 

SOUNDS RUSSIAN (best price 5-2) is a really nice and progressive chaser for Ruth Jefferson and did the job nicely at Kelso last-time-out to win by sixteen lengths. He’s been hit with an eleven-pound rise but the manner in which he drew clear from the remainder despite belting a few fences throughout suggests he’s more than ahead of the assessor. This step up in trip should suit and the seven-year-old, who is ground-versatile, is strongly fancied to complete the hat-trick before having his sights set at the Grade 1 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival next month. 

BANDIT D’AINAY (best price 10-1) is pretty much into the veteran stage of his career but he’s improved with each outing for connections and outran his monster odds to finish fourth here last month. This drop in trip will suit and this track clearly suits based on latest evidence. He was useful when trained in France and I find it interesting that his well-known capable trainer purchased him at a late stage in this one’s career. He’s not had many goes on ground this quick so it may actually unlock some further improvement and, given this race is pretty weak, I can envisage him being very competitive here.