Architect Saturday Racing Tips

A good-quality handicap in place here with The Big Breakaway heading the weights. The seven-year-old is undoubtedly the class act in the field and, while he didn’t scale the heights once expected of him over fences, he’s of obvious interest back over hurdles for the first time since finishing fourth to Envoi Allen at the Cheltenham Festival nearly two years ago. He can’t be written off but preference is for THE BRIMMING WATER (best price 4-1), who shaped well on his first go at this distance to finish third three weeks ago. His earlier victory over Dan Skelton’s Unexpected Party received a welcome boost when the runner-up scored decisively in a highly-competitive event at Ascot next time off a mark of 130. On balance of that form, he’s very well-treated off a mark of 127 here and, with the potential and scope to surpass this mark, he gets the nod. 

This is likely to be run at a strong pace with Dibble Decker bound to go forward and that will very much play into the hands of GENUFLUX (best price 4-1) who’s only below part over timber was when down the field in a Grade 1 at Chepstow. He’s been very consistent otherwise and got back on track to finish a solid third in a higher-grade event when last spotted, looking as though he was going to win until finding no extra in the latter stages. Interestingly, he’s undergone wind surgery since, which might bring about further improvement when push comes to shove and his 12Ib age allowance will be massively valuable taking on his elders too. Kevin Jones, who’s the only rider to have won on him in this sphere is back on board and, with an opening handicap debut mark of 115 looking workable, he earns the vote to come out on top.

CELEBRE D’ALLEN (best price 11-2) has been a revelation for us in the tipping department since he joined the Philip Hobbs team, winning back-to-back hurdle events in December and, despite a 9Ib hike in the weights, the ten-year-old makes plenty of appeal on return to fences despite this being quite a deep race for the grade. He gets his favoured soft ground and I like how he has cruised into contention and glided past really useful horses the last twice before quickening away in the manner of a horse who’s ahead of the assessor. This will demand more but he’s yet to put a foot wrong and may be equal to the challenge. 

The Betfair Hurdle at Newbury this Saturday looks ferociously competitive as ever but I’ll be doing my best to try and follow-up last year’s victory for us having tipped Soaring Glory, who took the spoils 12 months ago. The seven-year-old finds himself only four-pounds higher this time round but he will probably need a career-best performance to defy top-weight. If you fancy him to repeat the dose, though, then surely at nearly treble the odds, GLORY AND FORTUNE (best price 16-1) has to come into the reckoning here for the Tom Lacey team. 

He was last seen contesting the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle and defied huge odds to finish a two-length second to Epatante with Soaring Glory back in third. In addition, he’s four-pounds better off with last year’s winner this weekend back in handicap company and is only a pound higher than when sixth in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham back in November. His latest career-best display, however, looks a solid piece of form for this assignment and hold-up tactics have almost certainly contributed to the horse’s improved display this term, likewise to when beating subsequent winners Dans Le Vent and Cormier in the Welsh Champion Hurdle earlier in the campaign. Now that he’s established himself as a genuine Grade 1 operator coupled with his only entry at the Cheltenham Festival being the Champion Hurdle, he looks capable of booking his ticket to the Cotswolds venue next month with a bold bid this weekend with four places widely available. 

I want to go double-represented in this race and I’ll also be backing Ryan Potter’s JETOILE (best price 11-1) at an each-way price, who’s fancied to go well from the front. He has the ideal profile for this race and arrives here on the back of an excellent showing in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle behind Constitution Hill. The winner is clearly a monster, but the runner-up deserves a lot of credit considering he was stepping up significantly in grade and didn’t look out of place. He sneaks into the field here off a nice weight allied with lenient-looking mark of 133 for his handicap debut and with his connections having their sights set on a potential trip to Aintree for a Grade 1 at the Grand National meeting, he should make a bold bid at a general 11/1 in this with front-running tactics likely to be the plan under Lorcan Williams and with four places generally on offer.