Friday Racing Tips from Architect

JEREMIAH (best price 9/1) was very smart when formerly trained by Charlie Fellowes’ and proved he retains most of his ability when ninth on his return on stable debut three weeks ago, where he travelled well as he often does, briefly looking dangerous before his lack of fitness told in the closing stages. He did, however, win this race two years ago off this exact mark when beating Sam Cooke, who’s a good horse, and should strip fitter for that latest return to action. Tom Marquand is booked to ride and, if Alan King has nursed him back to his best, he holds a much better chance than his odds indicate. 

GLOBAL ESTEEM (NAP) (best price 4/1) ran a tidy race on stable debut at this course last time when fourth and is only a pound above his last winning mark. The form of his latest fourth has subsequently been boosted by the third and the return to this trip will be favourable. The last time he competed over this trip, was at Goodwood, where he split two horses rated 94 and 90 and had previously defied a mark of 81 off top-weight at Leicester on his penultimate start. He’s only a pound higher today and will tackle opponents rated no higher than 85. He’s got a lot going for him today and Megan Wingrove has had three winners and two places from her last eight rides too. With a lot more to come on just his second start for this stable, he’s a serious contender. 

DANZAN (best price 7/1) doesn’t win all that often but he’s got some seriously strong form over this course-and-distance and ran another good race here two weeks ago off a career-low mark when a fast-finishing third. He kept on very strongly in the closing stages to be beaten under a length and he is into this race off the exact same mark as last time. Sean Kirrane is able to retain the ride, which is good news, and this seven-year-old has twice hit the frame over course-and-distance off marks of 78 and 86. On all previous evidence, he’s attractively well-treated off 75 and he’s well drawn in stall four. With lots of pace going to be in place on his side of the course, he should get a nice lead into proceedings and hopefully this will be the time he puts it all together and can strike on the Knavesmire.

I also really like the claims of EBURY (best price 15/2) who has built up a good record at this venue and finds himself nineteen pounds below his last winning mark off a tiny weight. He was slightly unfortunate over course-and-distance two starts ago, where he was denied a clear run twice in the straight but once the gaps opened up, he charged home to be beaten less than three lengths. I think that was a slightly better race than this one and he’s effectively five pounds lower this time round. He wasn’t beaten far at Doncaster last time when sixth and, in May last year, he was beaten just half-a-length into second off a mark of 84 in a class two event when just finding course specialist La Trinidad too good. He was closing the winner down all the way in the closing stages and that form reads well in the context of this much easier assignment. With Jonathan Fisher taking off his valuable three pounds and another to be drawn nicely in stall three, his credentials are pretty strong for this race in my view. 

This is a really strong race despite just the four runners going to post. None of the remainder can be discounted but BLUE FOR YOU (best price 9/4) came very close to winning here recently, over course-and-distance, where he only marginally failed to give three pounds to a rapid improver and is fancied to go one better this time. A three pounds rise seems harsh, but my only conclusion is that the assessor is feared and David O’Meara’s charge is getting closer with each start. He’s up against worthy rivals, but he’s a strong-traveller, clearly handles this track, and should be well-suited to this small-field scenario. Despite a career-high mark, he gets the vote to make his class count here. 

SURPRISE PICTURE (best price 12/1) seemingly lost his form after winning from an eight pounds higher mark at Yarmouth last year, but he has returned to form the last twice and shaped very encouragingly when sixth of 20 over course-and-distance last time. He was behind Good Earth that day but is better off at the weights here and he’s drawn effectively in stall six to attack early. With more to come as a sprinter and with most firms paying four places, Keith Dalgleish’s charge could be tough to keep out of the frame if ridden positively here by Billy Garritty. He is certainly handicapped to strike. 

Al Marmar did well to overcome a pace bias at Ascot two weeks ago and is going the right way but he might meet his match in the shape of Ralph Beckett’s BULLACE (best price 3/1) who returned to form in blinkers at this course two weeks ago and could take some beating despite his big weight here. He was a smart two-year-old in which he won three of his four starts and while his form slightly tailed off after finishing down the field in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes last year, he bounced back to something near his best last-time-out in first time headgear. He was beaten less than two lengths to a horse who was winning for the third time in four starts and giving the winner a lot of weight too. He’s got to give a lot of weight to Andrew Balding’s charge this evening, but he’s the best horse in the race and if the headgear works for a second time, he could go one better at a course that brings out the best in him.