Monday Racing Tips from Architect

This is a weak race for the grade, so I’ll take my chances on the well-treated ARIJ (best price 20/1) who was much the best of these on the Flat, where he achieved a mark of 94 at one point for his former boss Simon Crisford. He has been far too keen in all four starts over hurdles as of yet, but he’s clearly not short of ability, and he is both his jockey and trainers’ only ride and runner on the card. If he can put it all together here, and not race so keenly, his flat speed could prove decisive in the latter stages against a modest field. He’s worth an each-way interest at huge odds with four places generally available. 

MR ORANGE (best price 10/1) just loves Pontefract! He’s a seven-times course-and-distance winner and looks as though he’s just coming into the form at the right time having caught the eye when staying on strongly from an unpromising track position to finish seventh of 13 over track and trip last time. All of his wins here, have been off marks between 55-78, four of those in this grade and two in better events (class four and class three off 78 and 75 respectively). He gets on very well with Graham Lee, who’s ridden him to four of those victories, and he’s eligible to compete off a career-low mark of 52. If the first-time blinkers do the trick, he should outrun his odds.