Tuesday Racing Tips from Architect

SMART CHAMPION (best price 9/4) wasn’t able to land a blow in the Northumberland Vase last time but a slow start proved costly and will return to the turf off a career-low mark. He’s four pounds below his last winning mark and he had previously placed numerous times last season and last year off marks of 87, 89, 90 and 87 in valuable staying’ handicaps. Having finished fourth in the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot two years ago off a mark of 87, he was a close-up third behind Just Hubert when giving the winner a pound and is ten pounds better off here. On the form available, he holds the upper hand on both Red Verdon and Just Hubert and can therefore go close to winning this contest. 

Girl Inthe Picture would have claims on her best form but she was bitterly disappointing last time and preference is for MONAAJEZ (best price 7/2) who recorded a good time-figure when bolting over course-and-distance on his penultimate start. He recorded a much quicker time than when the former and Point Louise scored over track and trip and Benoite De La Sayette has been retained to ride, who has his only ride on the card in the finale. This four-year-old, who is the only runner in the line-up to have recorded an RPR of 70 this year, had excuses in a better race last time when the breastplate broke, so returning to calmer waters off a mark that’s within range, he is fancied to make it two-from-two at the Somerset venue with lots in his favour. 

Princess Naomi did the job well last time but I reckon FOMO (best price 5/1) looks like an each-way bet to nothing with a good chance of beating the favourite if the extra yardage brings about further improvement. The form of her debut sixth here has worked out strongly and she shaped better than the beaten margin indicated the next two times before running well to finish third in a nursery a week ago. She stuck to the task well that day and she is dropped in grade for today’s event. Stall 11 probably isn’t ideal, but she’s got lots of early pace, so should be able to get across to get a good pitch and, if Connor Beasley can get her into a good rhythm, Gemma Tutty’s filly should go very well here. 

Vulcan won very well last-time-out but everything went perfect for him that day and while he’s clearly at the top of his game, he represents poor value in this good-quality event which is littered with well-treated individuals. I am playing two against the field each-way and the first one is the Sir Michael Stoute-trained BOSS POWER (best price 5/1). His form figures in this grade or lower on the all-weather reads 111 (three wins from three) and he’s run well in defeat in all three starts this year to suggest his turn could again be near on this surface and is the choice of Ryan Moore too.

He shaped really well when a staying-on fifth of ten on seasonal debut at Kempton in a class two event off a mark of 95 and matched that form in two subsequent outings on the turf, including when fourth in a valuable pot at Epsom last time off this mark behind Midnights Legacy. The five-year-old drops in grade today and is clearly a better horse on this surface. All of his wins have come over further but this could prove tactical and if Ryan Moore, who arrives here on the back of three wins in France, can get him into a handy position, his mounts assured stamina should, at the very least, see him make the frame. I do, however, think he’s got a good chance of beating this favourite. 

SEA THE SHELLS (best price 8/1) impressed when winning his first two starts on the all-weather when trained by Charlie and Mark Johnston and the form of his second win at Wolverhampton looks an interesting piece of form, as he gave seven pounds and a comfortable beating to Echo Point, who subsequently ran well to finish second at Newmarket, at the July Festival, off a mark of 92. He then returned a well-beaten favourite on handicap debut next time but bounced back to finish fourth in a Listed event when only just behind Fancy Man, who subsequently ran well off top-weight to finish fifth in the Old Newton Cup. 

Off the track for fourteen months after, he made his seasonal debut for Roger Teal at Newcastle last time and shaped as if he retains his ability when sixth behind Vulcan. He travelled nicely in that race (just as well as Vulcan) and looked like mounting a strong challenge at the two furlong pole until his lack of fitness told. That outing should have brought him along nicely though, and he’s eight pounds better off with the winner today, so I’m not sure why he’s being overlooked with most firms now that his fitness is guaranteed and with more to come this term. Tom Marquand, who rode him the last day, stays in the saddle and from a nice slot in stall three off a pound lower mark, this son of Sea The Stars makes lots of each-way appeal.