Friday Racing Tips From Architect

ORIENTAL SPIRIT (best price 28/1) has taken a bit of a walk in the market overnight but that hasn’t diminished my interest in him here despite conceding fitness to most. On his only start in 2020, when sent off 200/1 SP, he shaped well to finish sixth at Newmarket behind Statement and that form has a nice look to it, as he had a 98-rated horse in behind and he built on that promise when third at Salisbury next time when hot on the heels of a horse who’s subsequently defied a mark of 87 on the all-weather. He returned a beaten favourite on his latest start when only third of four but better was clearly expected of him, as he was sent off odds-on with firms and has been given an extensive break since. An opening mark of 70 on handicap debut here looks lenient on the balance of his form and while he will need improvement on the figures, it is possible that he could feature if ready to roll on his return, so is worth an each-way interest at the prices with four places available with various firms. 

If there was one horse that was seriously unlucky on Yorkshire Cup day, it was David O’Meara’s TAMMANI (best price 4/1), who should have won over course-and-distance having met trouble in running the whole way down the straight. I’m pretty sure he would have won otherwise, as he was the last horse on the bridle whilst still gliding through the field, but then met a wall of traffic, forcing James Doyle to sit and suffer. Once in the clear though, he powered home under hands and heels to finish a close-up fourth and his performance can be upgraded as he did well to finish as close as he did despite having a luckless passage. In the hope he gets a clearer sight of things on this occasion, compensation may await him here as he’s got an excellent chance at redemption off the exact same mark with conditions perfect for him too. 

Ralph Beckett could hardly have his team in better form while all of his best form has been on a drier surface, FOX VARDY (best price 9/1) makes plenty of appeal from his current mark with the application of first-time cheekpieces. I have liked how well he’s ran in both starts for this yard this year, including when third last time at Chester, where he didn’t get the clearest of runs but kept on nicely in the latter stages. He was well beaten on his only previous try at this trip but he’s seven-pounds lower here and this race is easier too. This son of Frankel is also only a couple of pounds above his last winning mark, which came when scoring by fourteen lengths at Newmarket, albeit that was two years ago. However, despite being limited to just three starts last year, he placed three times in 2020 off marks of 92 so his current mark of 85 is lenient and being weighted to reverse seasonal debut form with Raven’s Ark with presumption the ground won’t inconvenience him, he looks sure to go well here.

FREE SOLO (best price 18/1) might well be one of the outsiders of the field and he’s not been at his best in three starts for current connections, but he’s too well-handicapped to dismiss in this low grade event with Saffie claiming three-pounds. While the market suggests a revival won’t happen, I get the impression he’ll pop up when most least expect him to and if he returned to the form he produced when formerly trained by Jessica Harrington then he would have excellent claims. He was deemed good enough to contest the Irish 2,000 Guineas a couple of years ago and ran quite well when sixth in a class two at Newmarket on his penultimate start. He subsequently had a spin on the all-weather which may have been used to get his mark lower on return to the turf. Also, he drops into this grade for the first time in his career and is his trainer’s only runner of the day too. He’s not got much proven form on soft ground but could handle it and, if doing so, could easily exceed market expectations at a massive but generous price.