Sunday Racing Tips From Architect

Richard Hannon sends just the one runner to Doncaster in the shape of MR TYRRELL (best price 18/1) who makes more appeal than his odds would indicate in the opener. 

He hasn’t managed to deliver his best after four starts so far this season, but the last time he competed in this grade off this mark, he scored. He then followed up in a class four event off a 3Ib higher mark on the all-weather and while he’s now into the veteran stage of his career, he’s shaped well to finish third the last two times in better events than his, including when third at Windsor in a class three when splitting higher-rated opponents. That form has worked out well, with the fourth - Via Serendipity, winning a class two event yesterday off a mark of 91. He was also in front of that rival again, this time, when third in a class two at Ascot last year off 82, so he’s clearly capable of a bold showing from his current mark. 

His record in this grade also reads consistent figures of 32323217 and, to take this further, his figures in this grade under similar conditions are 32321 with all of those performances coming off marks in or around today’s lenient one. Rossa Ryan is a positive jockey booking, he’s drawn well in stall three and was beaten just a short-head into second on his last visit here, so there’s a lot to like about his chances. With a lot of positives in his credentials, he is an outsider definitely worth considering from an each-way perspective in the opener with the possibility of actually winning this if able to put his best foot forward. Five places generally available. 

ABDUCTION (best price 11/2) is one I think can go very close for Grant Tuer. The trainer has two in this race but Sam James has opted to ride this son of Acclamation, who shaped well on first start for his new yard when third of 11 in a valuable Sunday serious handicap at Musselburgh last weekend. He was only beaten a couple of lengths and may have finished closer with a clear passage too.

The assessor has let him in here off the same mark, which makes him an extremely well-treated horse to dismiss at your disposal. Operating from the same mark as when last successful, he looks capable of being in the shake-up here with the possibility of improving on last weekend’s finishing effort at a track that should suit. 

The favourite would take all of the beating if he was race-fit but connections have expressed that he’ll need the outing and, if that’s the case, he’ll find it difficult to overhaul EDRAAK (best price 3/1) who is a cracking price to deliver the knockout punch in pattern class company for the first time in his career. 

Mick Appleby’s charge appears to be getting better with age and has shaped very nicely in a quartet of starts in class two events on the all-weather since finishing fifth in the Ayr Gold Cup last year. He has got better and better with each start this year and came close to scoring on all-weather championship day at Newcastle last time when only headed in the dying strides to be touched off by a short-head. 

His performance can be greatly upgraded considering he raced keenly throughout that race and despite returning to the turf off his highest rating to date, the booking of Hollie Doyle is fascinating, which means a big performance is expected. Benefit is interesting off a low weight but I think Hollie Doyle’s mount has an excellent opportunity to make his presence felt at this level and will expose any weaknesses in both the returning participants Method and Nahaarr who are conceding fitness to the former. 

Last year’s winner of this race Jawwaal has an exceptional record at this course but this looks a deeper edition of the race and giving a lot of weight to most of these won’t be easy and that includes BURNING CASH (best price 13/2) who I’m amazed isn’t shorter in the betting. 

Mr Midgley runs three in this and it's this pretty classy sprinter who gets the vote of the trio. He had been off for twelve months prior to a midfield finish on his return at Musselburgh eight days ago which should have put him spot on for today’s assignment. He produced some smart form as a two-year-old when placing in Group Two and Group Three events and while he couldn’t quite scale those heights as a three-year-old, he’s on a nice-looking mark of 91 here with Ryan Sexton claiming five-pounds too. 

On the face of it, he’s already proven himself to be effective at a higher level with the standout piece of form being his close-up fourth in the Group Two Flying Childers Stakes over course-and-distance. If he could get back to that sort of form, he would certainly give the favourite plenty to think about, so it’s a chance I’m willing to take at the morning odds which seem generous for a horse who’s got the ability to win this event.

INTERNATIONAL BOY (best price 12/1) caught the eye when fifth last time, where he would have gone close without being impeded two furlongs out and while he’s back up in grade here, he’s got a good each-way chance at the weights. He’s not the most consistent but he’s proven himself to be effective at a higher level, including when second in a class three at York last year. I see Bicep as the main danger, who’s been very solid, but the former has the form to play a leading role and makes fair appeal at quite biggish odds. 

This can go to LADY RESET (best price 4/1) who won three times on the Flat last year and can capitalise on the ease in grade to win under Laura Pearson for David Pipe again here. She was a solid runner-up in a higher grade at Doncaster last month off this exact mark and has a good profile on the Flat in which she was second over track and trip back in September and probably would have won that race without being hampered when attempting to make a strong challenge down the inside rail before being beaten only a length. On a line through the winner, she’s closely matched with Kattani, but the fact that she gets 6Ib from the top-weight today swings things in her favour and, under her favourable conditions, she gets the vote to record a sixth victory in this sphere.