Architect Wednesday Racing Tips

A competitive little event with the vote going to ARRIVEDERCI (best price 11-2), who looks extremely well-handicapped on the pick of his form and goes well on soft ground. He was placed in a good pair of handicaps last term at Ascot. Firstly, when second in a Grade 3 off a mark of 137 before finishing third back there next time off 139 behind Shannon Bridge. He then looked in need of his return at Taunton last month but showed plenty of promise to finish fourth and the assessor has essentially dropped him three-pounds. The seven-year-old beat the 146-rated War Lord easily when last spotted over course-and-distance and is only five-pound higher here. Furthermore, he would have probably won a class-two event at Haydock from a mark of 136 on his next start in which he was travelling strongly until falling three out. so he is evidently capable of his initial mark and, with that latest showing under his belt, he should be more than ready to have a say in the outcome from an each-way point of view.

The most interesting runner on the Wetherby card comes in the Racing TV Handicap Chase, where Alastair Ralph’s ROCKADENN (best price 4-1) looks to have found the six-year-old a good opportunity to make a serious impact on return to chasing under Nick Schofield. This gelding by High Rock was highly-tried when first arriving at Paul Nicholls, his former boss, and in that spell at team Ditcheat he won once and placed twice in five starts and ran well on his final start to finish third in a strong-looking handicap hurdle event behind Garry Clermont. His sole victory came when beating former stablemate Pic D’Orhy at Taunton and given the runner-up is rated in the mid 150’s over fences, it would be a surprise if this lad couldn’t follow suit off at some point this season. He’s rated 133 at the moment but that definitely underplays his ability and he’s slowly got better and better in three runs for his current handler. His second outing for this yard saw him runner-up in a handicap hurdle at Haydock in December, chasing home one of my favourite horses and subsequent winner Celebre D’Allen. A tough task in the Champion Hurdle trial back there last time proved a step too far but he didn’t disgrace himself in fifth and he’ll find the return to chasing in this easier grade under testing conditions much to his liking. Moreover, he was three-from-three over fences when trained in France and, if able to put his best foot forward, he should go very well here.

SOUTHERN SAM (best price 11-8) confirmed he retains his ability with an eye-catching third in a novices' handicap chase at Ffos Las on return from a two-year absence. He expectedly got outpaced mid-race but stuck to the task gamely and the manner in which he stayed on strongly to take third indicated that he would appreciate the return to the longer trip next-time-out. He’s entitled to strip fitter for that reappearance run, too, and won’t be inconvenienced by conditions. His current mark of 122 looks very exploitable on the balance of his overall form and he gets the vote to give weight and a beating to these under Harry Bannister.