Friday Racing Tips from Architect

Dr Kananga will be fancied by most to complete the hat-trick but, at the odds, I much prefer MORNING SPIRIT (best price 4-1). Jonjo O’Neill’s charge won once and placed four times over hurdles last term and was well-supported ahead of his chase debut at Aintree on reappearance when sent off 3/1. While he fell mid-race, the form has a nice look to it, as the winner Corach Rambler has won again since and wasn’t disgraced off top-weight when fourth in Warwick’s Classic Chase. 

He then might well have won over today’s course-and-distance in December too, where a faster jump at the last might have sealed the deal, as he travelled powerfully up to that point and stayed on strongly to only be beaten a length by Jeremy Scott’s subsequent winner and strong stayer, De Young Warrior. Essentially, he’s only gone up a couple of pounds and, on the back of that impressive initial display, this race could be his for the taking with the potential, ability and improvement in the locker to take higher rank in this sphere. 

MY SILVER LINING (best price 11-4) generated relentless power to forge clear from subsequent Grade 2 runner-up Teddy Blue and having been given a genuinely lenient opening handicap mark of 110, Emma Lavelle’s highly-promising mare is strongly fancied to double her tally over timber. 

This mare by Welsh Connection, shaped with a lot of promise on hurdling debut at this track when fourth and while that form is nothing to shout about, it was her breakthrough success last-time-out that really solidified her capabilities. The form of that win was strongly influenced by the runner-up of the Gary Moore yard, Teddy Blue, who might well have pushed leading Triumph Hurdle candidate Knight Salute close last time without making a howler at the final obstacle. On a line through that informative piece of form, this mare, who was giving the second the last day five-pounds, must surely be better than her opening mark of 110, who has all the attributes to outclass these and rates the day's nap.

The Donald McCain-trained GOOBINATOR (best price 2-1) was last seen running a very good to finish third behind subsequent Lanzarote Hurdle winner Cobblers Dream at Doncaster and, with the assessor taking a lenient view of that display by dropping him two-pounds, this smart dual-purpose operator can provide Brian Hughes with another winner this week. 

This six-year-old has some great form in the book, who’s a three-time winner in this sphere, including victory in the Scottish Champion Hurdle Trial back in 2020 which came off a mark of 126. He’s been holding his form extremely well since, where he’s bagged two wins on the flat, a fourth in the Cesarewitch Handicap before falling at Bangor back over hurdles when still travelling smoothly. He put that mishap aside when third in a stronger event than this last-time-out and having been freshened up by a mini break, he should go very close. 

BELLA BLUESKY (best price 10-3) was left in front at the second last en route to winning at Kelso last time but I still think she would have won even if her rival had stood up and gets the vote to supplement that victory by landing the concluding race on the card. 

Ewan Whillans’ mare displayed promise in bumpers, which included a victory and a second in four starts and ran very well on her penultimate outing over hurdles to finish a two-length second to the promising and unbeaten Lady Adare. The winner subsequently followed up at Taunton to advertise the form and this mare was strong at the finish when returning a four-length winner when last spotted. Now that she’s got her head in front in this sphere, she should be able to kick on from that and go close in this affair.