Saturday Racing Tips from Architect

The Paul Nicholls-trained KNAPPERS HILL (best price 7-2) has to shoulder top-weight in the opener and while he hasn’t scaled the heights connections would have hoped for so far in this sphere, good ground is key to this six-year-old who’s actually four-from-four under that description. He got back to winning ways comfortably last week in a confidence-booster at Newton Abbot and the champion trainer wouldn’t be turning him out so quickly unless they thought he could run a big race. 

He gets into this off a mark of 134 here which appears to be lenient based upon his creditable sixth place effort in the Betfair Hurdle back in February, while his third to Jonbon in a Grade 2 looks the best form on offer. He’s up against some interesting and improving types such as Head Law, but he’s a classy horse who has plenty in his favour and with his stable in red-hot form, who won this race two years ago, I can see him making a bold bid under Harry Cobden. 

I have gone over this race multiple times and I am willing to give one more chance to GIOIA CIECA (best price 17-2) from an each-way point of view with four places available. He was down the field at Musselburgh last weekend, which was disappointing at first glance, but he was returning from a break and I feel as though the good-to-soft ground didn’t suit either so I’m keen to give him the benefit of the doubt. 

His form last year would make him a serious player in this grade, especially his close-up second to Modern News, who won the Spring Cup last weekend off a mark of 105, while the third Run To Freedom has run well in a Group 3 since. He’s a pound lower in this event and only 3Ib higher than his last winning mark with conditions in his favour. Moreover, he’s drawn well in stall three and with every possibility that he’s going to strip a lot fitter from his run last weekend, he’s an each-way player with the form in the locker to be extremely competitive here.

King Triton looks a big player on his return to action but, at even bigger odds, it might be worth backing the well-treated DEVILWALA (best price 16-1) to potentially make an impact on seasonal/stable debut. He finished a poor last season well out of sorts for David Loughnane but the combination of good ground and a mile could spark a revival off a career-low mark. For instance, the last time he ran over this trip was when highly-tried in last year’s Group 1 2000 Guineas and while he was simply outclassed, he’ll find this so much easier. 

I have a sneaky inclination that the best time to catch him is first-time-out, as his seasonal debut last year saw him finish a creditable fourth in the Group 3 Craven Stakes when rated 113. That was the only other time besides the Guineas that he has competed over a mile on good ground. He’s dropped 18Ib as a consequence since his latest four showings and is now on a tempting mark with Tony Hamilton booked to ride, so while the favourite is appealing, this four-year-old has the ability to be a lively player at a big price.

SAINT CALVADOS (best price 6-4) hasn’t had much luck since finishing third in the King George on seasonal/stable debut but he’s been shaping as if he retains his ability and ran a good race when fifth to Fakir D'oudairies in Melling Chase at Aintree. He would have finished a lot closer without being hampered just before three out and this former Ryanair Chase runner-up should be suited to this smaller-field ease in grade contest. 

He comes out best on these terms too as Mister Fisher (157) with Nuts Well (156) both have to give Paul Nicholls’ charge six pounds which I think is a difficult task. Erne River is the main danger but he fell at Aintree last time and he’ll find this even more difficult taking on three horses who are rated at least 10 Ib higher in ratings. With a lot going for him, I’m sure Paul Nicholls’ will be left feeling a bit deflated if his high-class nine-year-old can’t make the most of this good opportunity. 

HALIPHON (best price 9-2) ran a blinder to finish sixth in the Queen's Cup at Musselburgh last weekend when stepped up in distance to 1m5f for the first time and has been dropped 2Ib for this lower-graded event with Ben Sanderson claiming a valuable 3Ib. While he’s unproven over a trip this far, he shaped like he’d be well-suited to it just seven days ago, where he finished his race strongly in the latter stages under a tentative ride and would have finished in the frame in another half-a-furlong or so. The five-year-old is having just his third start for Ian Williams, who has an excellent strike-rate at this course, so improvement can be expected and if he does stay, then he should be more than capable of planting himself right into the picture. 

RESTORER (best price 8-1) is clearly vulnerable to younger legs but he’s performed on his last two starts and has fallen to a mark that is well within his capabilities. He’s 10Ib below his last winning mark and is on a mark of 85, a new career-low one. The last time he ran over this trip on the turf was when third at Pontefract off 97 and he then placed a few times last year off marks between 94-95. On the face of it, he’s difficult to win with but is undeniably the well-handicapped horse in the contest and his trainer has a fabulous record at this course too. He might get taken on for the lead but he’s a good horse on his day and he should be able to put up a fight under Ben Sanderson, who can offset 3Ib to increase his chances. 

In the bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase, I am drawn to the claims of two outsiders with five places generally available. Firstly, STEP BACK (best price 33-1), who saves his best for this track with form figures reading 3131. He won this event by thirteen lengths back in 2018 off a 5Ib higher mark and was third in the same race the following year off 145. He probably isn’t the force of old nowadays but he’s been holding his form well and his latest run in the Cross Country at Cheltenham can be excused. If you take Lily Bradstock’s 7Ib claim into account, this course-specialist is effectively running in this event off a career-low mark whilst carrying the lowest weight of his career, just 9-9. His connections have clearly targeted this well-treated veteran at this race again and, with the blinkers applied back at his favourite course, I think he has a better chance of reaching the frame, at the very least, than his odds suggest. 

The other one I think might exceed market expectations with six places widely on offer is Evan Williams’ PRIME VENTURE (best price 40-1). He’s also not getting any younger but he was a fine sixth in the Scottish National three weeks ago and has been eased a couple of pounds by the assessor. He won a veterans’ chase here in January by nine lengths off only a 3Ib lower mark and is 4Ib lower than when midfield in this race three years ago. 

He was sent off just 20/1 that day but is more than double the price this time round whilst probably arriving in better form which makes him of some interest. He’s a strong stayer, who jumps well and is Evan Williams’ only runner of the day so is overpriced and although it would be asking a lot of him to go and win this, he’s one of the hold-up performers that is likely to be picking up the pieces late on when others have cried enough, which might be enough to see him in the outcome at double-figure odds. 

BEDFORD FLYER (best price 5-2) has loads of speed and went close on his reappearance three weeks ago on the all-weather which should have sharpened him up for today’s return to the turf. This four-year-old was unlucky not to collect a good prize at Ascot back in July last year, where he was caught in the final strides having hung right inside the final furlong. The speed he showed that day saw him burn off most rivals who were rated in the 90’s until throwing the race away late on but he’s only 3Ib higher here and this course often favours the front-runners. He goes extremely well for Lewis Edmunds and should prove to be a tough nut to crack from a good draw in stall six.

HELENE (best price 9-1) didn’t look short of ability in all three starts last term, where she finished third twice prior to a good fifth in a class-two event at Goodwood. She makes her handicap debut after a long absence but an opening mark of 73 is very lenient, especially when you reflect on her close-up third at Newbury second-time-out last term where she split two fillies who were rated 95 and 100. Sean Levey gets the leg on her for the first time here and with more to come this season, this filly by Olympic Glory could feature heavily in the latter stages of today’s event dropped in grade with four places widely on offer. 

CHAMPAGNE COURT (best price 12-1) hasn’t been ultra-consistent all year and has finished runner-up in four consecutive events since winning off this mark at Exeter. He’s a previous C&D winner who gave it a good go behind Danny Kirwan at Ascot last time. He’s a pound lower back over hurdles and while he’s taken a bit of a drift in the market this morning, I see no reason why he can’t run another big race with conditions and trip seemingly ideal. Jeremy Scott’s nine-year-old appears to have plotted this race for him which is why he’s back over hurdles on his final start of the campaign and, off a very fair mark, he looks poised to be very competitive in the finale with four places generally available.