Thursday Racing Tips from Architect

MOVEIT LIKE MINNIE (best price 7-2) was five lengths behind Good Impression when the pair met in January but he’s 7Ib better off with the winner on today’s terms and that could be more than enough to reverse the form. He was two-from-two in bumpers and has shaped promisingly in all three starts in this sphere, taking the runner-up spot in each of them, more recently on handicap debut. I think he’ll be ridden a bit closer to the pace today so that Good Impression doesn’t get an easy time of things from the front and, with improvement to come, it’s difficult to see him not putting up another good show in the opener. Jordan Nailor takes off three pounds too. 

WHATSDASTORY (best price 12-1) isn’t the smoothest of jumpers in the world and that’s reflected in her chase form with only one win to date but it’s interesting to see her back over hurdles for the first time in two years and she appeals from an each-way perspective in this event. Her habitual jumping errors crept back in when only third three weeks ago but the smaller obstacles will help in that regard and the last time we saw her in this sphere, she was second over today’s course-and-distance off this mark. Moreover, she’s proven she stays this far, which can’t be said about a few of these and, being Dr Richard Newland’s only runner on the card with Lee Edwards maintaining the partnership, she has shown enough on numerous occasions that she is capable of being extremely competitive off this rating and has some decent handicap form next to her name too. 

It’s hard to rule out any of the five runners but the top-weight CANELO (best price 5-1) is surely better than this grade and field at his best and, while he’s struggled in all four starts this term, today’s drop in grade coupled with softer conditions could easily spark him back to life. He’s now ten pounds lower than when winning the Grade 3 William Hill Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase back in 2020, where he beat Snow Leopardess, and didn’t shape too badly when seventh in the Sky Bet Chase last time albeit beaten by a wide margin. He has a bit to prove at the moment but he’s the best horse in the race-based upon overall form and, if he’s on a going day, Alan King’s will surely be too good for these under Tom Cannon.

GIVE ME A COPPER (best price 13-8) ended his time with Paul Nicholls with two disappointing pulled up displays and while he could only finish third in a hunter chase at Warwick in January, he left the impression that he still has plenty more to give in this game despite his advancing years. He was a smart staying chaser in his prime, who collected some decent prize money, and gets the assistance of Will Biddick, who is a positive booking here. I initially feared Dan Skelton’s charge when first looking at this event but now that his chief market rival has been declared a non-runner, this finale really does look like Give Me A Copper’s for the taking.