Architect Friday Racing Tips

Although she couldn’t quite get the job done in a stronger race for us last time-out, she lost nothing in defeat, and Evan Williams looks to have ideally found CURRENT MOOD (best price 11-8) a great chance to make amends in the opener. The seven-year-old won back-to-back events during the autumn impressively and has performed with ultra-consistent credit in Grade 2/Listed events the last three times. She made a bold effort from the front at Haydock when narrowly foiled in the dying strides in Listed class last time, where she jumped efficiently and went down on her shield in third despite being unproven on soft ground going into that race. This is a lot easier and the drop back in distance should prove suitable as she’s unlikely to be hanging around and, with this track sure to play to her maximum capabilities, she can make the most of the weight she gets from her two main protagonists. 

It was a great day when DE YOUNG WARRIOR (best price 5-1) provided us with a huge priced winner on chase debut in a big field at Exeter in December and he looks a major player here off bottom-weight with improvement to come and this course sure to see his staying power and assured jumping bound to come into effect. The nine-year-old is very lightly-raced for his age and ran well in all four hurdle starts despite having the size and scope to advance his form when sent chasing and he did just that when jumping really well before making stealthy headway through the field and then staying on really strongly. He’s only gone up four pounds which doesn’t appear to be excessive given he won his chase debut with a bit to spare and therefore he's fancied to find the necessary improvement to go in again here with soft conditions, track and trip all in his favour.  

Low-graded stuff here and, while she hasn’t won for a long time, KNOCKABOUT QUEEN (best price 9-2) has often reserved her best for this venue and might be about to strike off her current mark in the hands of David Probert. I like the fact that she’s put together two solid efforts in defeat the last two times, including over course-and-distance last time. Her form figures at this track over track and trip when turned out quickly (within three weeks) reads 1333 and she has a good draw here in stall two. She’s evidently well-treated being fifteen pounds lower than when last successful over today’s track and trip and might be able to make the most of this very good opportunity. 

The Rebecca Curtis-trained WAYFINDER (best price 9-2) was having just his second chase start when winning off this mark over today’s course-and-distance on identical ground last season and should take some beating back down in class here. He looks a really solid each-way proposition with five places widely available having shaped better than the beaten margin indicated at Newbury last time, where he travelled well before fitness took its toll as that was pretty much his first run of the campaign due to him being brought down on reappearance at Bangor. I think he’s a horse ahead of his mark and, with most of these having something to prove, the eight-year-old looks ready to potentially make it two-from-two at this venue under Sean Bowen.