Wednesday Racing Tips from Architect

Although we don’t see him as often as we would like, SAM COOKE (best price 7/1) is a very good horse and he is the first of two suggestions in the opener. Given he’s six, he remains open to improvement and he likes this course as proven when winning over course-and-distance back in August last year. He travelled noticeably well throughout that race, cruised into the lead at the furlong pole and while he was given a brief scare in the final 50 yards, he had more in hand than the winning margin indicated. He then backed that up with two solid placed efforts including on his final start, where he was third in the November Handicap. 

He looked as though he might win that event as he made relentless progress through the field despite racing keenly to briefly challenge the eventual winner but stayed on at the same pace to take third and was right in behind the smart Calling The Wild. I know he could only finish sixth in this twelve months ago but he was ridden too aggressively from the front and even so, he still looked the winner for much of the contest before fading in the latter stages. With more to come and being only a pound higher than when last spotted, I rate his chances very highly and he makes plenty of each-way appeal at the very least with plenty of positives to draw upon. 

I also like the claims of one at a big price, ZABEEL CHAMPION (best price 28/1), who completed a hat-trick in handicaps on the Flat around this time last year and progressed well over hurdles last season, winning two of his four starts. He could only finish third of four when last seen in this sphere but is better judged on his excellent third at Royal Ascot off this mark in the Duke Of Edinburgh when conditions wouldn’t have been to his liking. 

His earlier defeat of Global Storm off only a two-pound higher mark looks solid form too and he’s actually better off at the weights with Charlie Appleby’s charge here so I don’t understand why the differential in price between the two is so high. All of his best form has been on similar conditions and it’s interesting his trainer has booked a senior rider to do the steering instead of a claimer. It won’t be easy for him trying to dominate this field but he’s battle-hardened, isn’t exactly handicapped out of things, stays a bit further which is what’s needed at this course and has the ability to make an impact in this grade.

Last year’s Ayr Gold Cup winner BIELSA (best price 16/1) gets his favoured decent ground for the first time since that victory and while he’s six-pounds higher than when fifth twelve months ago, he’s very well-suited to this kind of race and should be approaching peak fitness having ran two solid races already this term. 

He’s drawn well in stall twelve and is only four-pound higher than when dominating that race at Ayr. I think he’s capable of another bold showing and bettering last year’s place effort in this, so with six places generally on offer, he’s an appealing each-way proposition under Kevin Stott for trainer Kevin Ryan who’s just beginning to hit the ground running for the season too. 

PENDLETON (best price 25/1) could only finish down the field on his reappearance at Doncaster but he’s better than that and he was well-supported in the market that day too. He isn’t the most reliable of individuals but he’s capable off this mark as he’s three-pounds below his last winning mark and is only a pound higher than when pushing Fresh close at Ascot when touched off by just a nose. 

A repeat of that display would certainly give him every chance of making a serious impact here and, in the hope that the application of cheek-pieces have a positive effect, Clifford Lee might be able to get a tune out for him which can hopefully conspire him to bounce back to form and be extremely competitive here for the in-form Michael Dods team. Six places generally available. 

It’s often the case that front-runners do well in these sorts of events and if JUST FRANK (best price 33/1) is on a going day, he could easily make a bold bid under Lewis Edmunds with the ground key to this smart sprinter. He was behind a few of these when he disappointed in the Ayr Gold Cup having been sent off just 15/2 likewise to a below-par effort over this track and trip on his final outing of the last campaign, but the ground was on the softer side each time and while he does have winning form on soft ground, he’s undeniably a better animal on better ground. 

His form figures on good ground reads 26621 and he beat some good yardsticks at Thirsk last season off a big weight, showing relentless speed to see off Woven by a comfortable two-lengths, who was fourth in this very race twelve months ago. Despite remaining five-pounds higher here, he goes well for Lewis Edmunds and has been targeted at this event. He’s drawn in stall four, which seems fairly ideal, as all the pace is likely to be on that side of the course. He might get taken on for the lead but the chances are he will be able to dictate here at a track that very much favours front-runners and, if fit enough, he might just be able to either cause a mini upset or reach the frame at double-figure odds with six places generally available. 

In the Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes, I am going to stick with the reliable mare HIGHFIELD PRINCESS (best price 10/1), who might be the lowest rated in the line-up but has a fitness edge over most of these and has the ability to expose any chinks in her rivals. 

While I am fully aware that mares’ find it difficult winning this race, John Quinn’s star couldn’t be in better form as she arrives here on the back of a smooth success on all-weather champions final day at Newcastle. She’s already won eight times in her career and this Royal Ascot winner finished a credible sixth of 20 in the Group 1 Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot on her last try over this distance. 

Her performance can be upgraded too, as she fared second best of the higher-drawn numbers (only Art Power was in front of her those) and that has been her only start at the highest level to date. I think the odds between herself and the two who head the market is insulting, especially given she’s race-fit, was in front of Dragon Symbol at Ascot and wasn’t far behind Minzaal either who benefitted from the low-draw. 

Furthermore, she’s placed on both her visits to this course, including when a one-length second over seven-furlongs to multiple Group 1 winner Space Blues in the Group 2 Sky Bet City Of York Stakes. If she can replicate that sort of performance back at York over this favourable shorter distance, she must have an excellent each-way chance from the box seat in stall one. 

HIGHWAYGREY (NAP) (best price 5/1) has been in-and-out of form in the last year or so but he’s six-pound below his last winning mark and drops into this grade on the turf for the first time since scoring off this mark at Pontefract. In addition, he goes very well on decent ground and his second back in September in a higher-grade event off a mark of 86 is probably the best form on offer at present. For instance, the winner - Living Legend - has won three times since and was last spotted in a Group 2 which resulted with success too. 

He has shaped better than the bare result in both starts this season, including when sixth in a red-hot race last time which featured four subsequent winners. The second, third, fourth and fifth have all won decent races since, so the form-line has extreme substance and therefore Tim Easterby’s well-handicapped participant gets quite a confident vote to make the most of this good opportunity in what looks a fairly ordinary race for the grade.