Sunday Racing Tips from Architect

There were a lot of positives to glean from the debut effort of STAR ANGEL (best price 9/2) over course-and-distance a month ago, who shaped with considerable promise to finish sixth and that should have learnt her a lot ahead of this slightly easier task in which she’s got excellent claims of gunning down the favourite Ark who looks far from bombproof. 

On debut, she travelled very smoothly, and despite being denied a clear run not once but twice, she kept on well inside the final couple of furlongs without being knocked about. That piece of form is working out very strongly too, as the first and second - Above The Curve and Thoughts Of June filled the same positions in reverse order in the Cheshire Oaks last week, while the third and fifth returned next-time-out winners. 

With all of these key form-lines taken into account, this filly by the high-class Sea The Stars deserves plenty of recognition for her debut display considering she had far less experience than the five who finished just in front of her. Trainer Johnny Murtagh sent out last year’s winner of this race Annerville respectively so has clearly had this race in mind for this filly and any sort of step forward from that promising effort last month ought to be enough to see this Ribblesdale entrant extremely competitive here.

Not often I get involved on a debutant, especially in Ireland, and whether this will payoff I cannot be sure but CARLTON GARDENS (best price 25/1) looks really interesting here in the famous Lloyd Williams silks. This Colt by Sea The Stars has a cracking pedigree, likewise to a few of these, but he was quite an expensive purchase as a yearling and these colours, owners, trainer and jockey have enjoyed plenty of big-race success. 

Theoretically, a run under his belt would have been ideal going into this race but Carlton Gardens was declared a non-runner at Navan last month due to the ground so Joseph O’Brien has clearly been waiting for spring fresh ground to run him and he gets that here despite coming up against some promising types. With Shane Crosse having his only ride on the card for his boss, his mount might just surprise a few at huge odds.  

FIRST EMPEROR (best price 7/1) is another beautifully-bred Colt who’s related to both Galileo and Sky Lantern. He ran very well on debut at this course when beaten just four-lengths despite looking green and having an awkward head carriage at times. This Irish Derby entry kept on nicely in the latter stages and almost stole fourth at the post, while the form was advertised by the third Temple Of Artemis earlier this week, who scored impressively at Chester. Donnacha O’Brien has an impressive record at this course with eight winners from fifty-four runners and if you had backed all of these horses at £1 level stakes, you would have made a profit of +37.53. The combination of today’s step up in trip and application of a tongue-tie looks a positive move and he should be able to five the favourite plenty to think about with a lot more to come. 

Aidan O’Brien has won the last three renewals of this event but I strongly fancy Paddy Twomey’s FRENCH CLAIM (NAP) (best price 5/2) to see off Stone Age and the remainder in the Derby Trial Stakes. He impressed on debut and while he was two lengths behind Duke De Sessa here in October, he didn’t get the clearest of runs compared to the winner but stayed on strongly in the latter stages to take fourth, recording quite an impressive back-end sectional too. If he had a clear passage, I would be confident of him finishing at least second but he put matters right when making a successful return to action last month when ridden positively, winning by nine-lengths on soft ground at Cork. 

Stone Age is smart but French Claim is the only one of the front three in the market who’s less-exposed and open to further improvement after just three starts. He almost certainly would have had Epsom Derby third-favourite Piz Badile in behind on his penultimate outing with a clear run and looked better than ever on his return last month over this trip. Duke De Sessa was also behind Great Max last season, whereas French Claim had that one seventeen lengths in behind last time so I think this promising Colt will have that one’s measure here, especially on a line through subsequent winner Buckaroo. 

Moreover, trainer Paddy Twomey has his team in good form, operating at an impressive 27.8% strike-rate in the last month and he’s currently 24.1% at this venue over the last five years (7-29). I’m quite confident in saying that he is probably the best horse in his yard and the best horse in this race, while he’s drawn very nicely in stall one too. With all the ingredients to make up into a high-class middle-distance performer, his assured stamina, staying power and quality can see him grind this out from the front and take the spoils under Billy Lee. 

CAPTAIN HADDOCK (best price 10/1) scored twice on the turf last season, including impressively over course-and-distance and with his promising reappearance third to draw upon, his fitness should be spot on for today’s test now that he’s reunited with Joanna Mason. He’s only a pound higher than when beating subsequent winner Cemhaan by four-lengths, who won off a mark of 82 at Newmarket at the start of this month. Taking that performance into account, he’s dangerously well-treated off 79 and he goes well under these conditions. A good draw in stall four is also beneficial and despite this being wide-open, he appears to be great each-way value with so many positives in his favour and with four places generally available. 

WHERE’S JEFF (best price 7/1) loves this venue with form figures here reading 123231233 and having looked in need of his return last time, he’s down to a mark that he’s more than capable of exploiting back at his favourite course. His last three placed efforts here have been off marks of 75, 77 and 77, two of which were in class 3 events and he’s back down to his last winning mark of 72. He goes very well for jockey Joanna Mason and is drawn nicely in stall four. Also, his record second-time-out reads 1123 so this appears to be the best time to catch him and with hardly any faults in his armour, especially at this course, this seven-year-old looks set to play a leading role in the outcome of this finale with four places widely available.