Tuesday Racing Tips from Architect

This British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies' Handicap should present a decent chance for the Roger Varian-trained MYSTICAL AIR (best price (5-1) to build upon her promising reappearance third at Kempton and potentially get on the scoresheet on handicap/turf debut under James Doyle. This filly, who’s a daughter of the high-class Kingman, was significantly strong in the market ahead of her debut at Newcastle and while she couldn’t go through with her effect after travelling noticeably well up to the two-furlong pole, there were signs that she’s promising and that she could turn out to be quite useful.

For instance, she broke from the stalls alertly, too alertly in fact, which forced her rider to quickly restrain behind the pacesetters but in doing so, somehow ended up racing in the carpark outside with no cover. She made a good-looking move, mid-race, despite racing keenly to look as though she was going to lay down a stern challenge but the petrol she spilt while trying to learn to settle beforehand could only see her keep on at the one pace to eventually finish 6th of seven. 

The sheer promise she displayed, though, saw her show distinct improvement when stepped up to a mile next time, where she proved too strong for her opponents, winning comfortably four-lengths. Not even again for nearly five months, she ran a really tidy race to finish a close-up third last month and did well to be right in the wing mirrors of two promising last-time-out winning prospects. Her return can be markedly be promoted as she pulled quite hard early on which left her rider no option but to commit her earlier than ideal in between the eventual first and second. 

We haven’t seen the winner Rhythm And Rock since but the runner-up Rainbow Fire has subsequently strengthened the form-lines, having ran well to finish third on handicap debut next time off a mark of 90. With that form taken into account, there is a clear element of her opening mark of 81 underestimating her now that she has her sights set on handicaps and, with James Doyle booked to ride, a positive addition to her credentials, allied to having an eye-catching reappearance run tucked away in her inventory, she looks capable of proving to the assessor that she’s way better than the initial mark she’s been granted for this event. 

DINOBLUE (best price 2-1) has become quite a decent price for the opener after an overnight marginal drift and I have a half sneaky incline that this event has been her main target this season despite being sent off a short-priced favourite for the Grade Two Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham following an easy victory on hurdles/stable debut. While she failed to meet market expectations at Cheltenham, clearly better was expected of her that day and a line can be put through her performance as Mark Walsh tried to dictate matters which ultimately backfired when push came to shove approaching the final hurdle. Of course, both Party Central and Grangee travelled better than her but it was always going to be stiff task trying to do it the hard way at Cheltenham from the front which isn’t done that often, let alone by a horse with such little experience under rules. 

However, I really like the way she kept on strongly without being given a hard time of things to finish fourth over two-and-a-half miles in a Grade 1 nine days ago despite racing keenly and I think the drop back in trip on better ground will actually suit her around this course. Furthermore, I am adamant we haven’t seen the best of her yet and the interesting aspect about her chances is the similarly route Willie Mullins’ has taken with her ahead of this final appearance of the season given the last two winners of this race both ran at Cheltenham and Fairyhouse prior to turning up and winning this listed contest. She’s the joint highest-rated in the race at 135 and is still rated five-pounds higher than Grangee, who looked burnt out when last spotted behind the former, so with more improvement to come her than her two market rivals, she can take the drop in grade in her stride. 

I also wouldn’t put anybody off having a few quid each-way on the Gavin Cromwell-trained CLAIRMC (best price 100-1) given this isn’t the strongest renewals of this particular listed event and we don’t know where the ceiling of her ability lies at this stage of her career. The form she’s shown to date is unquestionably well-below the required standard to be competitive in this but it’s interesting to see Gavin Cromwell roll the dice and potentially jeopardise a lenient-handicap mark in the near future to have a crack at this race. Clearly, connections think she’s capable of running a reasonable race at this level, otherwise, she’d have been found a much easier opportunity elsewhere. This Walk In The Park mare has shaped with promise in three bumpers and two hurdle starts to date and she’s an outsider who could run better than her current price tag suggests. 

Trainer Mark Johnston won this race twelve months ago and is seeking to do so again this time around with two lively candidates. Tribal Art won on his return last week and has obvious claims but while the market much prefers him, it’s his stablemate and top-weight THEMAXWECAN (best price 11-2) who interests me most and gets the verdict. Admittedly, he’s got a lot to prove at the moment, due to him only beating two rivals home in his last couple of starts but the combination of the refitted cheekpieces and drop in grade could be exactly what is needed to see him back on track for his in-form handler.

On his day, he’s a very difficult horse to beat, as this typically battle-hardened Mark Johnston team member loves to get into a scrap and he most likely to get that here. He’s a regular in staying distance handicaps and his last three wins were in class-two company off marks of 98 (twice) and 96, so 97 at this present moment in time isn’t beyond him. In addition, the six-year-old's record in this grade or lower reads 1121 and I cannot resist the available odds about him at this level so he’s worth an each-way bet against the market leaders, in which he might be able to outclass this field if producing his best.  

ARDLA (best price 5-1) looks absolutely thrown in here on handicap debut off 125, especially when you factor into consideration that he wasn’t far behind subsequent Martin Pipe winner Banbridge last time out. This looks like it has been a long-term plan by Michael Halford, who’s son of Delegator pushed the 140+ rated Grand Jury close over course-and-distance earlier in the season before returning a month later to comfortably beat Deploy The Getaway, who’s rated in the high 130’s. The seven-year-old is so well-treated off 125 for this assignment and he arrives here fresher than most with some of the strongest form on offer. Moreover, he sneaks into this off a lowweight and, with everything in his favour, the chances are he will try to dictate here at a track that very much favours front-runners and that should also be one the many contributing factors to him going close here. 

TAX FOR MAX (best price 18-1) ran a lot better than his finishing position suggested last-time-out and given that this has ultimately been his end of season target, he makes a lot of each-way appeal with five places generally available. He has ultimately been too keen for his own good over hurdles so far, including last time, where he raced with the choke out for nearly two miles but it was a testament to his ability that he looked dangerous approaching the last hurdle only to weaken in the closing stages. The five-year-old was eight lengths behind Glan last time but is eight pounds better off on these terms, so if he does settle, I have no doubt he has the ability to reverse the form. Additionally, Daryl Jacob has been booked to ride, who travels to Ireland for his only ride on the card, and the last time he ridden this youngster was when the pair finished sixth in last year’s Triumph Hurdle. If Daryl can get him into a rhythm where he can settle, he looks attractively handicapped to make a serious impact off 131 in a race of this nature for Willie Mullins, who notably does well in handicaps at this meeting too. 

IN FROM THE COLD (best price 20-1) doesn’t have as much experience over hurdles as some of these but this high-class flat performer, who’s been laid out for this assignment, has excellent each-way claims under Jordan Gainford. He warmed up for this race with two mid-field efforts on the flat and wasn’t disgraced in the Irish Lincoln, either. He’s taken well to hurdles, where he won on debut in this sphere, and has run with credit since. His latest start in this sphere saw him finish fourth in a Grade Three and, on a line through that display, he is nicely treated off 131 for this. With the five places generally on offer, he makes appeal for each-way purposes in this highly-competitive contest.

The William Hill Champion Chase should be a cracker, where Chacun Pour Soi and Energumene meet for the second time but ENVOI ALLEN (best price 14-1) looks a massive price with conditions in his favour and being Rachael Blackmore’s pick of Henry De Bromhead’s two runners. 

He was thirteen lengths adrift of Energumene at Cheltenham in the Champion Chase but ran well to finish third under conditions that were testing and I think he can bridge the gap here. Whether he still has the ability to score at the highest level over the minimum trip against the two horses rated much higher than him remains to be seen but connections clearly feel he’s capable of being competitive over this trip. 

His form has been slightly patchy ever since falling at last year’s Cheltenham Festival in the Marsh which knocked his confidence but he looked on good terms himself last time, his first start after wind surgery, and this six-time Grade 1 winner could be the value against the big pair in the betting, so is advised in the singles market, each-way, as he seems to be the only other horse in the field capable of serving it up to Willie Mullins’ two high-class two-mile chasers when at his best and is overpriced.

In the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase, it’s hard to see past BOB OLINGER (best price 11-8) despite returning the most fortunate winner at this year’s Cheltenham Festival when the Turners Novices' Chase was handed to him on a plate due to Willie Mullins’ high-class charge falling at the last fence when clear. His finishing effort that day looked suspicious but a torn muscle wouldn’t have helped and even if he wasn’t at his brilliant best, Galopin Des Champs is probably just a better horse than him over that trip. That said, I have always felt that he would be seen to better effect over staying distances and if you put a line through his latest showing, he’d be even shorter in betting for today’s assignment. Henry wouldn’t be running him here unless he believes his star seven-year-old is 100% and he will face nothing of Galopin’s calibre here so therefore should be too good for these with the strongest form in the book and being a three-time Grade 1 winner. 

Fury Road and Millers Bank are obvious threats to the former but, at an even bigger price, I wouldn’t rule Jessica Harrington’s LIFETIME AMBITION (best price 11-1). While I am fully aware that this is one of his stiffest tasks to date, he won easily over hurdles at this meeting twelve months ago by a wide margin and is clearly at his best at this time of year. He relished the better ground and step up in trip to win a Grade Three last month, scoring for the second time over fences, and looks to have been targeted at this race. He has been behind a few of these already over fences, including when sent off favourite for the Drinmore in which he finished fourth, but he improved for the step up to three miles last time out and it’s interesting that connections come here instead of going down the handicap route. He’s a smooth jumper, who travels nicely, and has festival winning form with conditions and distance ideal, so there’s plenty to like about him at double-figure odds and he shouldn’t be underestimated, especially if Bob Olinger fluffs his lines.