Architect Tuesday Racing Tips

HOMETOWN HERO (best price 5-4) has been tentatively handled in both hurdle starts since finishing fourth on hurdles debut at Warwick last year whilst appearing to hold something back, ability-wise and, with the best of him yet to come, Dan Skelton’s charge gets a confident vote to unleash his capabilities and come good at the fourth time of asking under Bridget Andrews. He is getting stronger both physically and mentally in this discipline and the manner in which he surged home to only be beaten a couple of lengths last-time-out suggested that he has a lot more to offer and can therefore supplement his initial promise and open his account. 

A lot better could have been expected from STEP TO THE TOP (best price 7-2) on her first three hurdle starts who’s yet to make any sort of impact but she has been granted a lenient-looking mark of 87. I have no doubt she has the ability to win this event, especially if able to translate her smart bumper form, including when second in a listed event, splitting two horses rated in the mid 110’s. The return to two-miles looks a positive approach and given how weak this event is, she has excellent claims.

FLORRIE KNOX (NAP) (best price 3-1) shaped with a lot of encouragement on stable debut to finish fifth at Leicester and now returning to the scene of his biggest payday courtesy of his novice hurdles win over the 123-rated Rio Quinto, the nine-year-old looks ready to strike here. He should strip a lot better for his reappearance and has generally been running in better events than this off higher marks and ran well to finish second when last spotted over this trip in a class-three event. That was off a mark of 117 and he’s seven-pound lower in this easier grade, while Jay Tidball’s ten-pound claim effectively sees him compete from a career-low mark. Storm Of Light looks a danger but he’ll have his work cut out trying to give weight to the well-treated former, who is strongly fancied to outclass this field. 

ANIMAL (best price 3-1) put daylight between himself and the remainder when scoring by eleven lengths on New Year’s Day and, while this will be his first start on a right-handed track, he looks capable of a follow-up here. I think this longer trip will signal further improvement and Sean Bowen is an interesting jockey booking. He seems versatile regarding conditions and although this is slightly tougher than last time, that breakthrough success might catapult him to further spoils here.