Architect Friday Racing Tips

CERTAINLY RED (best price 6-1) proved no match for runaway winner Danny Kirwan at Wincanton last time but he ran very well to finish second considering it was his chase debut and will find this easier. He made a lot of mistakes on the way round, including when belting the third last, but stuck to the task nicely to grab the silver medal from the 136-rated Jay Bee Why and is up against horses rated no higher than 122 this afternoon. That display in defeat suggested an initial mark 117 may have underestimated him in this drop in grade on handicap debut in this sphere. He is stepping back up in trip here, which is evidently his optimum distance, having gained two victories last year in or around this trip and, with improvement forthcoming, especially in the jumping department, he looks up to taking this step down in class in his stride. 

This extreme test of stamina could be the making of PENNYFORAPOUND (best price 13-2) who won here over hurdles under similar conditions and has ran well to finish third in two subsequent chase starts. His trainer, Rebecca Curtis, has an excellent 20% strike-rate at this course and this unexposed eight-year-old, who’s having just his fifth chase start, makes a lot of appeal with Ben Jones doing the steering. 

CLASSIC ESCAPE (best price 12-1) hasn’t been disgraced in both starts for Phil Kirby and it appeared that connections used a hurdles outing last time as a preparatory run for today’s event. The nine-year-old is a strong stayer and is the only runner in the field to have proven himself over four-miles plus so his confirmed stamina will be advantageous. His second in the Scottish Borders National off a mark of 122 in comparison to his mark of 109 makes him extremely well-treated and I can see him running a big race under Tommy Dowson here. 

AMI DESBOIS (best price 28-1) hasn’t won for a long time over fences but he’s generally competed in stronger events than this, who’s acquitted himself well in each of them, and is expected to leave his seasonal reappearance behind him with a good display off top-weight here. The twelve-year-old is on a dangerous mark judged on his two seconds in highly-competitive handicaps, including over course-and-distance, where he probably would have won without a bad mistake at the last when clear of the field. That form has worked out well with the third Two For Gold winning three times since and is rated in the 150’s. A reproduction of that fine effort from a two-pound lower mark would surely see the top weight go close in this from the front at double-figure digits.

The Singspiel Stakes Presented By Race Of Uae Innovates Group 2 Stakes has attracted a quality field and I like the look of Charlie Appleby’s ART DU VAL (best price 7-1), who has produced some big performances at this venue, including when a close-up fourth in the Jebel Hatta Sponsored By Emirates Airline Group 1 Stakes. He’s never finished worse than fourth over today’s course-and-distance in five attempts, winning two of them, and while Will Buick prefers stablemate Zakouski, Mickael Barzalona knows this horse very well and the pair are taken to make a significant impact in this valuable pot. 

CANVASSED (best price 6-1) won twice over course-and-distance last year and should be all the better for his return after ten months when fifth three weeks ago. Many will see that outing as a little disappointing given he was sent off favourite but he’s joint top-rated in the field was a good third in the Dubai Golden Shaheen Group 1 Stakes on his penultimate, demonstrating his qualities when on-song. He is drawn widest of all but he’s expected to take a step forward from that latest showing and is fancied to go well in the finale under Andrea Atzeni.