Saturday Racing Tips from Architect

The Philip Hobbs-trained ZANZA (best price 18-1) has disappointed the last two times over fences but he’s too well-treated to be dismissed back over the smaller obstacles, who’s eligible to compete off a fair mark of 138 here. He was sixth off this mark in the 2020 Betfair Hurdle and won over fences off the same mark later in that season too. The eight-year-old has produced some good efforts in defeat since, including when second to Coole Cody in the Racing Post Gold Cup at Cheltenham off a mark of 145 and the winner advertised the strength of the form at the Festival earlier this week by winning the Plate. While a revival is very much needed after two lacklustre displays, he’s so well-handicapped off a 7Ib lower mark back in this sphere and, if able to bounce back to form, he’s a standout each-way proposition with five places widely available. 

I will give one more chance to Paul Nicholls’ SOLO (best price 8-1), who’s also well-treated back in this sphere. He ultimately failed to build on his close-up second on chase debut but wasn’t disgraced over fences at this course in a Grade 2 behind Edwardstone and he’d previously won a Grade 2 on stable debut for this team, so this track clearly plays to his strengths. He was fourth in the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso off a 6Ib higher mark and based upon all of his previous form, this really is a good opportunity for him to get back to winning ways or, at the very least, reach the frame. With five places widely on offer, this one-time exciting prospect makes plenty of each-way appeal under Harry Cobden. 

A wide-open renewal of the Midlands Grand National and, with most bookmakers offering a generous six places, I am quite keen to go with three in this, who offer fair value from an each-way point of view. 

DE YOUNG WARRIOR (best price 12-1) has done a fantastic job for us on the tipping column this season and I am excited to see him over a marathon distance for the first time, in which he’s been crying out for the extra yardage. He won his first couple of starts over fences, firstly at Exeter in a big-field three-mile event, where he jumped brilliantly and stayed on strongly to win with plenty up his sleeve. He then went to Chepstow and, again, showed a lot of staying power to see off Striking A Pose and double his tally over timber. He surrendered his unbeaten record when second back at Exeter last time but I thought he did remarkably well to take second considering it was a messy contest and he didn’t jump with much fluency, either. Always described by Jeremy Scott as one for the Welsh National later down the line, today’s stiffer test of stamina should be right up his street and he ticks a lot of boxes for this race too. A mark of 129 off an essential low-weight further strengthens his claims and, with improvement on the cards, he’s a massive each-way player with the cheekpieces applied. 

I know it would require an unbelievable weight-carrying performance to win this but YALA ENKI (best price 20-1) is a tremendous stayer, who has been laid out for this contest by trainer Paul Nicholls having bypassed this years Welsh National, in which he’s placed in the race three times in the past. The twelve-year-old has been in excellent form as usual this campaign, where he won at Cheltenham in a Grade 3 off 157 on seasonal debut before claiming his third Portman Cup when last spotted at Taunton. He has gone back up a couple of pounds to a mark of 159 but he was third in last year’s Welsh National off this mark so he’s not exactly badly handicapped and his partnership with Bryony Frost has been nothing short of remarkable. Whether he can win this off top-weight remains to be seen but he’s a trier, who will relish the distance and is overpriced with most firms paying six places. 

The captain, CAPTAIN DRAKE (best price 12-1) bounced back to his best when winning the Devon National last-time-out and, while he’s gone back up 7Ib, he remains 4Ib lower than when second in this race two years ago behind Truckers Lodge. He might well have beaten Paul Nicholls’ inmate on that occasion without a bad mistake at the last fence and despite only managing midfield in this last year, Harry Fry’s charge arrives in much better form. Bryan Carver has a good record on him and although he’s not the obvious type to follow

This contest is lacking any sort of depth on paper and, with this in mind, the Tom George-trained COUPDEBOL (best price 11-4) should be able to go in again under Johnny Burke. He took a major step forward from his chase debut third when scoring impressively at Warwick last month and despite going up 8Ib, he’s a chaser very much on the up. He shaped promisingly behind some decent horses over hurdles and now that he’s got his breakthrough success, allied to Johnny Burke’s confidence being sky high following Love Envoi’s victory at the Cheltenham Festival this week, he gets the vote to see off today’s field and continue his rise through the ranks.