Sunday Racing Tips from Architect

In the Prix Du Palais-royal, I really cannot see past MARIANAFOOT (best price 9/2) if she performs to anything near her best. She could only manage sixth on her return in a Listed event at Chantilly earlier this month but all of her best form has been over further and connections were using that race as a prep-run for today’s event. 

She’s twice beaten Duhail over course-and-distance and while she meets that rival on worse terms here, I just get the impression she’s the better horse. In fact, I think she’s the only Group 1 horse in the field and she’s already proven that upon reflection of her dominant victory in last season’s Prix Maurice De Gheest which is the best form on offer. In that very race she beat some very high-class individuals including July Cup winner Starman. 

Her winning performance was taking, as she brushed aside all opponents with a devastating turn of foot to win eased down in the closing stages and extend her winning sequence to eight. I know she’s not been able to replicate that display in two starts so far this year but her trainer is likely to have her spot on for this again and while she has to concede weight to the two youngsters of the party in the form of Malavath and Accakaba, if she brings her best, her class should enable her shine in this event for the second consecutive year. 

JACK’S A LEGEND (best price 11/2) has failed to kick on since finishing a good third behind I Am Maximus at Newbury back in December but he takes a huge drop in grade here and if a two-month break has done him any good, he should be competitive off this lenient mark. He was highly tried in a variety of good-quality bumper events prior to going hurdling, where he was even deemed good enough to have a crack at the Champion Bumper and Aintree Bumper last year. Although well beaten in each of them, his three efforts beforehand suggested he wasn’t short of ability and that was proven in a pair of events over hurdles at Newbury. On the face of it, he’s looked regressive since, but the fact that he’s down to a mark of 104 (started at 113 on handicap debut) with Angus taking off five-pounds should see him go very well here. 

QUEEN TREZY (best price 15/2) looks a fairly decent price to potentially take the scalp of both Coolmore and Godolphin in the Prix Saint-Alary under the services of Christophe Soumillon. Of course Above The Curve and Wild Beauty are interesting but Yann Lerner has had this race in mind for this filly by Almanzor and she was unlucky to finish second behind by Agave on her comeback outing last month. The winner, who was completing a hat-trick at the time, had a clear passage whereas the selection was held in a pocket before hitting full stride when in the clear to only be beaten less than a length. Her previous second to Rosacea was another good effort too as the winner ran well to finish fourth in the French 1,000 Guineas. She has a bit to find with market principles based upon her official rating but she’s going the right way and her RPR’s indicate that she doesn’t have masses to find with the favourite. With fitness now guaranteed, she could prove dangerous to all in this line-up at the prices. 

Ingleby Hollow is interesting on the back of an excellent fourth in the Swinton but GAELIK COAST (best price 15/2) switches back to hurdles off what appears to be a lenient mark of 131 and that’s without Peter Kavanagh’s claim taken into account. Donald McCain’s charge scored off a six-pound higher mark the last time he was successful which came over fences and has mostly competed off similar marks since, including when fourth in a Grade 3 at Cheltenham off a mark of 138. He was a good second at Perth last month and while he disappointed at Aintree last time, this manoeuvre by his boss is interesting given he’s two-from-three over hurdles. The drop back in trip could work wonders, especially if ridden prominently and, at the odds, he has to be the value with every chance of defying this mark. 

Less than ten minutes later, at Uttoxeter, Brian Hughes maintains the partnership with PRESENTANDCOUNTING (best price 9/1) who is on a good mark at present and is expected to make a bold bid from the front for the Donald McCain team. He won five times over fences last season and this might have been a long-term plan given he’s only been seen twice this year. He hasn’t been able to get into any sort of rhythm the last two times but he was rated as high as 147 last year so he’s very well-handicapped off 138 and conditions will be right up his street too. A lot of these are very well treated at the weights but so is he and if ready to produce his best, he could offer some decent value.