Tuesday Racing Tips From Architect

PERSIAN FORCE (best price 3/1) has been relentless in winning both his starts to date and trainer Richard Hannon has repeatedly said that he’s the best two-year-old he’s had since Canford Cliffs who, coincidentally, won this race for his trainer many moons ago.

Given his complimentary quotes about this youngster, who’s performances have also been backed up by the sectionals and clock, the form of his debut victory in the Brocklesby has received significant boosts too (multiple winners in behind) and while this race is full of depth, he looks a star in the making for the Richard Hannon team.

He’s drawn well in stall 12, which is where you probably want to be and I don’t want to look beyond him here, so he gets the vote to cement his status as one of the best juveniles of the current season and remain unbeaten. 

In the King’s Stand Stakes, I cannot resist the available odds about Charlie Hills’ EQUILATERAL (best price 80/1), who is wildly overpriced for a horse who was second in this two years ago. He has an unbelievable record when returning from a four-month plus absence which yields 113121 and while he’s not been seen on track since finishing an excellent fourth in a Group 1 in Dubai due to an injury, he will be in his element at this course.

The reports are that he's been pleasing in his preparations and he was unlucky not to collect a Group 1 prize when spotted, where he was ridden too aggressively, yet was only beaten two-lengths. With a strong pace guaranteed here, he can just sit in behind and try to pounce late into the action.

This is a track that often suits hold-up horses and while another personal best is required, I just think he has a better chance of reaching the frame in this race again, at least, than his odds suggest, so he makes some each-way appeal with most bookmakers paying out on four places.

Wesley Ward has had some great success over the years at the Royal Meeting and while he failed to succeed in Britain in two attempts when only seventh in the Nunthorpe last summer and when touched off at this meeting two years ago, this is the year that GOLDEN PAL (best price 7/2) can finally prove what he’s capable of doing on these shores and provide his trainer with a second win in the King’s Stand.

His ridiculously quick gate-speed will give him a distinct advantage over his rivals and his chances are strengthened with Irad Ortiz Jr coming over to ride, who’s five-from-five on this speedball.

Conditions couldn’t be more perfect for him too and I like the fact he’s drawn high, which is often favourable here. If he can replicate his monstrous front-running victory in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint victory here, I am confident this best sprinter in the US, who’s taken his form to a new level the last twice, can use his relentless speed to rip this field apart and display his brilliance with an all-the-way success at the third attempt in Britain. 

Despite this being a vintage renewal of the St James’s Palace Stakes, 2000 Guineas winner Coroebus is going to be hard to beat but while I have already put up New Energy each way in an ante-post piece I did for this race, I want to back another outsider in the shape of Roger Varian’s BAYSIDE BOY (best price 50/1).

His latest effort, in the French 2000 Guineas, proved inconclusive as he was drawn wide and never given a proper chance to show his best. He is, however, better judged on his previous form which would certainly give him an each-way squeak at the very least in this race. A Group Two winner as a juvenile, he went onto fill the frame in a pair of Group 1’s, the Dewhurst and the Futurity, and was a shade unfortunate not to finish closer in each of those, when not getting the best of passages.

He’s the type of horse who needs to take a while to hit top gear and after being blocked in his tracks by Native Trail in the Dewhurst when just about to get motoring, which halted his momentum, and he only got going again when the winner had already gone clear. 

I am convinced he would have finished second at the very least otherwise and the same happened again at Doncaster, where he met traffic problems when going best, but stayed on strongly to almost grab second when in the clear behind eventual winner Luxembourg.

With a clear run in both events, there’s a chance he could have been a Group 1 winner and he’s seemingly been overlooked here based upon just one below-par performance in his career which is rather harsh for a horse who’s capable of being competitive at the highest level. It is probably pushing the boat out to say he’ll bounce back and win this, but he’s one to consider each-way at a big price with firms paying four places. 

Mark Johnston saddles three runners in this year’s edition of the Ascot Stakes and I like the claims of GOLDEN FLAME (best price 20/1) at a big price who is the choice of Joe Fanning which is a positive sign. Last seen making a bold effort from the front when only collared late by the progressive Valley Forge, he is worth a shot at this distance, which may prompt some improvement, and he’s already beaten Pied Piper comfortably on worse terms.

He was well off his best in the Queen’s Vase at this meeting last year but he’s twice ran well over two-miles to suggest he’ll be suited to this stiffer test. It is going to take a massive effort to beat this lot from the front but he’s a trier and will be very difficult to kick out of the frame if he brings his best form to the table. Five places generally on offer. 

Ralph Beckett’s ROCK EAGLE (best price 16/1) is a reliable and consistent horse and judged on his encouraging return from 14 months off when sixth of 11 over an inadequate last time, he clearly retains his ability.

That reappearance ought to have taken the freshness out of him and he finds himself a pound lower than when fifth in the Cesarewitch over two miles and two furlongs a couple of years ago, which remains his only start beyond two-miles. His effort can be marked up, as it was the first time he competed on soft ground, so perhaps conditions were the reason he didn’t finish a lot closer. 

He looked as though he stayed perfectly fine that day and was even good enough to finish a three-length third to Trueshan when rated 100 one time and has placed multiple times off ratings/marks between 100 and 102. A mark of 99 is definitely within his compass and if Rob Hornby can navigate a clear passage from shall thirteen, his mount is certainly well handicapped with some strong form in the book to go very well in a race like this.

He’s back on his last winning mark courtesy off a 2Ib drop for his latest return and all of his form suggests he’s got a good chance back over a trip further than two-miles for only the second time in his career so, at 12/1 with the most firms, who are paying five places, he looks great each-way value. 

This is a wide-open Wolferton but Jessica Harrington’s CADILLAC (best price 7/1) looked back to his best when taking apart a good field in a Listed event last time and should go very well here despite carrying a penalty. Always held in high regard by his handler, he is a Group Two and Group Three winner in Ireland, who also finished fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf row years ago and seemed to benefit from the appliance of first-time cheekpieces last time and they are retained here.

I think this race will suit him perfectly as he can just track the pace from his good slot in stall three and, if the headgear works for a second time, his turn of foot might catch a few of these. A repeat of that latest victory, was which backed up by his time figure, gives him every chance of more success in this grade. Four places widely available. 

PEROTTO (best price 18/1) is the other one I like at a big price for a horse who’s capable of some very smart form. A good winner of the Britannia at this meeting twelve months ago, he’s been kept fresh for this race and has proved his stamina at this trip with some solid efforts in defeat since. He spent most of last season competing in Group events following that victory at this course and will bounce off today’s fast ground.

Dougie Costello is an interesting booking and, with a rating and form in the locker that firmly puts him amongst all of the horses who are shorter than him in the betting, he’s massively overpriced here. Moreover, he has gone well after a break twice before, so I can envisage him running a big race with plenty in his favour and with four places generally available. 

A very difficult finale for the opening day, where only eight-pounds separate the whole field so, with this in mind, I’ll take a chance on DANEHILL KODIAC (best price 50/1) with most firms paying five places. There is the possibility he could completely blow out here, but he was a very good horse in his prime, who won a Group Three at this course and placed numerous times in pattern company against good horses.

He proved that plenty of his ability remains in his locker when making a bold bid from the front here last month, where he only weakened out of the places in the closing stages and that run should have sorted his fitness out, given it was his first run on the flat in three years. That effort was also off top-weight but he gets weight from all rivals here and, providing he doesn’t suffer the bounce-factor, he could easily exceed market expectations and go well here. Five places generally available.