Thursday Racing Tips from Architect

In the opener, the Paddy Power 'Making Flat Less Flat' Handicap, the grand servant COPPER KNIGHT (best price 8/1) bids for a hat-trick of wins in the contest and a monumental sixth course victory in total. This eight-year-old always saves his best for the Knavesmire and this speedy Gelding by Sir Prancealot is drawn well in stall seven to attack early as his customary pace and speed should see him get a good position.

He’s 4Ib higher than when successful two starts ago at Doncaster but he wears his heart on his sleeve and I’m quite surprised he’s not trading a bit shorter in the betting given he’s a proper course specialist who’s been aimed at this race again by his trainer. He’s up against some better treated rivals but he gets his favoured ground, knows this course off the back of his hand and goes well for David Allan, so with four places generally available, he is undeniably an appealing each-way price with several bookmakers. 

I also like the chances of ALLIGATOR ALLEY (best price 11/2), who showed last time that he retains plenty of his old ability and is fancied to cause some damage off this well-treated mark as he bids for a second course-and-distance success. 

He shaped as if retaining most of his ability on his first start for David O’Meara following an eighteen-month absence when third at Wolverhampton in March. Highly tried by his former boss Joseph O’Brien at two and three, he was good enough to finish second in a Listed event and a Group Three to the 107-rated Liberty Beach. He probably would have won the latter event too with a clear passage but he made amends in the Listed Graves Roses Stakes here next time and having been highly tried in the Group 1 Flying Five, he ran a good race on his final start at Dundalk to finish third. 

Not seen for the best part of nearly two years, this reliable sprinter caught the eye when third amongst 100+ rated horses on stable debut at Wolverhampton, where he pulled hard but saw out his race very well and that form has worked out nicely since given the second, Highfield Princess, subsequently won on all-weather championship finals day at Newcastle and landed a Group Two here yesterday. There’s a chance he might suffer the ‘bounce factor’ but, if he doesn’t, this five-year-old Gelding by Kingman could have too much quality for these in the latter stages with more to come.

NOON STAR (NAP) (best price 7/2) returned a beaten favourite at this meeting last year but she still ran well to finish second to Snowfall in the Musidora and both the winner and the third, Teona, advertised the form after when finishing first and second in a Group 1 in France, while the former went onto score in the Oaks and that is the best form on offer. 

She disappointed next time at Royal Ascot in the Ribblesdale having raced far too keenly but she got back on track when showing a willing attitude to see off a useful field in a listed race at Nottingham last-time-out and her performance can be markedly uplifted as she was keenly throughout and had every right to fold away but she stuck to her guns in good style and got the job done under Ryan Moore. 

This obviously demands more but she’s two-from-two under Ryan Moore and still has the potential to be a Group 1 horse, especially on a line through her performance here last season when splitting two fillies rated 120 and 113. It’s interesting to note that Ryan Moore has chosen to ride her over stablemate Ville De Grace and being open to a lot more improvement, this Filly by Galileo gets a confident vote to hand trainer Sir Michael Stoute an eighth win this contest with much bigger assignments lying in wait for the remainder of the season. 

WHAT’S THE STORY (best price 6/1) has reserved some of his best performances for course-and-distance and this sort of ground and appeals most having been given a great chance by the assessor. His excellent record over track and trip reads two wins from four starts and he was unlucky when fifth off top-weight in this last year, where he was denied a clear run twice before surging home when the race was practically over. In addition though, he’s 9Ib lower this time round carrying lesser weight and is only 1Ib higher than when winning this in 2019. 

He’s 7Ib lower than when winning over course-and-distance back in August 2019 prior to winning this in that same year so he’s clearly well-handicapped and shaped nicely on the all-weather when fourth when last spotted. A lower draw instead of 12 would have been preferred but the positives outweigh the negatives by quite some margin in the context of today’s race. Having proven to be a bit better than this level on his day, as showcased when second in last year’s Spring Mile, splitting two horses rated 107 and 113, he looks poised to plant himself right into the picture again on the Knavesmire. With four places widely available, he is certainly worth an each-way interest. 

The feature race of the day is the Dante Stakes and while I am finding it difficult to split the top-two in the betting here, it’s DESERT CROWN (best price 7/2) who gets the vote to score for Sir Michael Stoute. His price is undeniably a bit skinny, especially in a race that has two horses rated 112 but he could hardly have been more impressive on debut at Nottingham and represents a yard who knows the requirements needed for this race having won it six times before. 

It took him a while to hit full stride on debut but once the penny dropped, he powered away to score with loads in hand. I know this is his reappearance but he’s currently second-favourite for the Epsom Derby at 6/1, whereas El Bodegon is 20/1 so if those odds are anything to go by then surely he should be clear favourite here and not second-favourite at the time of writing. His debut victory isn’t anything special but we don’t know how good he is and the chances are he could blow these away if he’s the horse everyone expects him to be, so it’s a chance worth taking in my view. 

I think the bookmakers have this race priced up wrong as I really like the chances of two at a bigger price who have the class and form in the book to go close to winning this listed event. The first one is GUILDED (best price 17/2) who’s invariably needed her first run of the season and should be approaching peak fitness for today's assignment. Karl Burke highly tried her throughout last season and she acquitted herself very well in nearly all of them, notably when fourth in the Group 1 Cheveley Park at Newmarket.

That latest piece of form has to give her every chance in this lower-grade event and her fillies’ allowance puts her alongside those towards the top of the market based upon official ratings. Clifford Lee rides this course very well and with conditions looking perfect for this filly by Mastercraftsman, she might be able to deliver the knockout punch to these. 

KHUNAN (best price 10/1) couldn’t get competitive on his final two starts last campaign but they were deep events and this is a significant drop in grade with the race looking likely to be run to suit. If he’s able to replicate the form he showed when second in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes and sixth in the Group 2 Norfolk then he has to enter the reckoning for this easier task.

It’s possible that he might just need the outing but he’s the highest rated runner in the race at 105 for a reason and, with loads of pace bound to be on offer with the likes of Boonie and Get Ahead likely to go forward from an early stage, he should be coming home very strongly here. At the forecast odds, he looks a fair bet to potentially win this on his return with improvement to come for the Paul Hanagan and Richard Fahey combination. 

FRANKENSTELLA (best price 9/1) could easily be recognised as an unlucky loser in this race twelve months ago where she was badly hampered a furlong out and ultimately lost her momentum and any sort of chance when fourth. That said, John Quinn’s mare comfortably made amends next time at Haydock last May, where she got the better of some quality stayers, including Rajinsky, who subsequently ran well to finish third in the Chester Cup.

That is a strong form-line against this field and while she’s been absent since finishing runner-up at Pontefract later that month, it’s interesting to see her pitched into this event after almost a year off the track. Clearly, she’s been working very well as she could have been found an easier opportunity elsewhere and, with both Jason Hart and John Quinn’s confidence flying sky high after Highfield Princess’ winning the Duke Of York yesterday, this mare could be extremely competitive in the finale.