Thursday Racing Tips from Architect

ERNE RIVER (best price 7-2) has seen defeat just once in his career which came on debut when third and since being switched to fences, Nick Kent’s charge has done nothing but improve in which he’s two-from-two. He scored impressively both times, including at Doncaster last time, where he powered to a thirteen-length success under Charlie Hammond.

He looks to have a bright future and while he slightly has a bit to find with a few of these on the bare form, he’s open to more improvement and can make his presence felt now tackling Grade 1 company for the first time in his career. 

MILLERS BANK (best price 7-1) is the other one I really like in the Manifesto Novices' Chase, who put aside two non-completions when a close-up second behind Paul Nicholls’ charge in the Pendil at Kempton when last spotted. He was still going fairly well in the dipper when unseating his rider four out at Cheltenham, while his unseat at Newbury in a Grade 2 also featured Pic D’Orhy in which I’m still convinced he would have beaten him if the pair managed to complete as he was closing the gap on the leader until both their incidents.

He’s 5Ib worse off with Pic D’Orhy than when they met last time I feel that was a really good effort, as he travelled better than the winner and stayed on strongly in the closing stages to only be beaten a length, where a good jump at the last ultimately helped Paul Nicholls’ charge win the race. 

That would have been a nice confidence booster for Alex Hales’ star performer however, who’s going to be better suited to the extra furlong here and we know the track suits too, as his career-best performance to date came over track and trip at this meeting twelve months ago. He was third behind Abacadabras and Buzz in last year’s Aintree Hurdle which is seriously good form and a return to this venue on that basis will very much suit the eight-year-old.

It’s plausible to suggest that we haven’t seen the best of him yet in this sphere despite having some high-class form in his back catalogue and at a general 7/1, I think he’s an excellent each-way bet in this with a great chance of gaining revenge on the favourite with this course undeniably going to play more to his strengths. 

In the Betway Bowl Chase, I could make a case for most of the participants but a repeat of his Gold Cup third will surely see PROTEKTORAT (best price 7-2) go close to maintaining his unbeaten record in Merseyside. He’s two-from-two at this course, which included a Grade 1 victory on this card 12 months ago prior to thrashing his opposition in the Many Clouds Chase.

His stamina for the Gold Cup was far from certain but he ran a tremendous race to emerge as the best of the British to finish third and hold off the challenge of both Galvin and Royale Pagaille in the latter stages. His effort can be upgraded to further extent too, as he completely walked through the final fence and did well to rally and claim the third spot. He would have finished a clear third at the very least without that mistake and connections are clearly happy with him as he could have been put away for the remainder of the season given he’s just a seven-year-old with his best days ahead of him.

The Skeltons are in very good form of late and while the one I fear is Conflated, I just get the impression that Protektorat will have the legs of these if thereabouts when the race begins to take shape, provided that Cheltenham race hasn’t taken much out of him. 

Onto the Randox Foxhunters' Open Hunters' Chase and PORLOCK BAY (best price 15-2) has been targeted at this race all season by trainer Will Biddick. On just his second start in the UK, he tackled the Hunters’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and having jumped and travelled noticeably well throughout, he showed a willing attitude to fend off Billaway in the latter stages and take the spoils. The runner-up advertised the form by taking this year’s renewal as connections of the former decided to bypass a repeat bid in order to tackle this event at Aintree instead.

The 11-year-old ticks a lot of boxes for this event and his assured jumping and smooth travelling style of racing should really suit around this course. A lot of the market leaders had a hard race last time and while he was ultimately turned over at Bangor when last spotted, that should have put him spot on for this race and therefore gets the vote to make an impact at quite a generous price with improvement forthcoming and five places on offer. 

PONT AVEN (best price 16-1) failed to stay the extra yardage when only sixth in last month’s Hunters Chase at the Cheltenham Festival but he travelled well for a long way in that event and has an ideal profile for this event back down in distance.

He was smart when formerly trained by Willie Mullins, where he produced numerous place efforts against decent opponents and made a good start for this stable debut when bolting up at Ludlow on his penultimate outing. I think he will be well-suited to this test and, provided he takes the course well, he’s no forlorn hope to make an impact at double-figure digits with five places widely available. 

Foxtrot Racing have a good record with runners in these types of events as demonstrated by Hogan’s Height in the past and they solely rely upon the former classy MARRACUDJA (best price 20-1), who arrives here in decent form having won handsomely at Leicester when last spotted.

He’s not always been the most fluent of jumpers but Dan Skelton has had an eye on this race with his eleven-year-old for quite some time. While he’s unproven over these fences, he’s surely worth an interest at a big price, each-way five places, with the class to get himself firmly into the picture if he puts his best foot forward again. 

The Paul Nicholls-trained THYME WHITE (best price 16-1) is quirky but he’s getting better with each start in this sphere and lost nothing in defeat when second at Ascot last time in which he was giving 11Ib to the eventual winner.

He travelled best throughout that event and while the winners pace came into effect late on when he went past Paul Nicholls’ charge, he rallied once headed to only be beaten a couple of lengths at the finish. His chase debut second to Amarillo Sky appears to be decent form as the winner went on to finish fifth in the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival.

He is reunited with Bryony Frost, who rode him to victory at Doncaster on his penultimate outing, and off a mark of 142, which is evidently a fair one, he is attractive each-way value with five places widely on offer. 

KING D’ARGENT (best price 8-1) returned to something near his best when just touched off at Doncaster last time and has been aimed at this race since. A truly-run two miles will be right up his street as he’s got loads of pace and often travels well and can be quite sharp and slick at his obstacles. He won three times over fences last term and while his form this year has been mixed, he’s well-handicapped off 139.

He was second off a 5Ib higher mark in a listed event at Ayr off top-weight and gets into this event off just 10-12. This is wide-open but his stable could hardly be in better form and, with everything looking in place to see him to best effect, I can envisage him making a significant impact with five places widely available.