Thursday Racing Tips from Architect

Charlie Appleby’s team are continuing in great form and having taken the opener yesterday, there's a good chance WARREN POINT (best price 5/1) could follow suit, who’s the preferred choice of William Buick. He couldn’t make it three-from-three in a three-runner event at Ascot three weeks ago but it seemed like connections were using that as a guide towards today’s race, as he wasn’t given a hard time of things late on but kept on well to hold off London Gold Cup winner Israr. The fact that Will Buick has overlooked Natural World again in favour of this unexposed son of Dubawi tells me he thinks this one has the best chance of the pair. He is drawn well in stall 6 and this race will be run to suit, so with lots more to come off what is a lenient mark of 94, he’s a solid each-say choice with firms with Bet365, Hills, PaddyPower, SkyBet and BetFair paying five places. 

I get the impression ASGOODASSOBERGETS (best price 16/1) would be half the price he is for this race if he were trained by one of the high-profile yards. He has made a good start to life at Tom Ward’s stable, with a win at Wolverhampton before an excellent second to Missed The Cut in the Golden Gate at the Royal meeting, where he fared best of those who were held-up. His performance can be upgraded, as he had to come wide around the field and flew past all rivals except the well-treated winner, who’s destined for bigger things. He has been put up three pounds but Tom Marquand is booked to ride, he’s drawn nicely in stall eight and has more to offer on just his second start in the handicapping scenario. He makes plenty of each-way appeal at the morning odds in the opener with Bet365, Hills, PaddyPower, SkyBet and BetFair paying five places. 

Royal Scotsman is the rightful favourite on the back of an excellent third in the ‘Coventry Stakes but I’m always on the lookout for each-way value and I like AL KARRAR (best price 5/1). Tom Clover thinks a lot of him and despite being sent off at double-figure odds on debut at Windsor, he was mightily impressive, as he quickened up in great style to win by three lengths plus and recorded an RPR of 95, which is the highest of what any of the remainder achieved on debut. His trainer Tom Clover, who’s operating at an impressive 45% strike rate with two-year-old’s this term, could have got more experience into him elsewhere and been found a much easier opportunity, so the fact that he’s taking the plunge in this contest after just one start is very interesting indeed. This is a big step up in grade but he’s open to more improvement than most of these. He’s the one who appeals most for this Group Two prize. 

In the Gordon Stakes, I am quite surprised HOO YA MAL (best price 11/2) isn't a clear favourite for this race, so the fact we can get an each-way price is a steal in my view. He produced really consistent form before a career-best second in the Derby last time, where he finished virtually upsides subsequent Irish Derby winner Westover and was then purchased by George Boughey for a large amount. He’s priced up as if that effort was a fluke but I’m inclined to think the opposite, while the booking of Ryan Moore catches the eye too, who’s having a great week. He is the clear highest rated of these at 116 on the back of that excellent display and should be able to adapt this course given how straightforward and professional he is. If he can back up that latest showing in this race, which is a significant drop in grade, he could be too good for these. On a line through that Epsom display, he holds the clear edge over West Wind Blows, who was well behind him in that race and should give the selection a lovely lead into proceedings here. 

CONCERT HALL (best price 15/2) has been running consistently well in defeat the last four times in Grade/Group 1 events and was unlucky not to go close in the Pretty Polly on her penultimate start, where she was badly impeded and dropped to the rear before coming through strongly to take fifth. She ran well in the Belmont Oaks last time and was only a length behind Nashwa in the Oaks at Epsom earlier in the season. She has had quite a hard campaign but connections wouldn’t be running her in this unless she’s showing all the right signs at home and the application of first-time cheekpieces looks an interesting move. The favourite will be hard to beat but I think this filly is the only one capable of beating her, so backing her each-way seems reasonable. Fonteyn and Ville De Grace are interesting, but both need a lot more at this level. 

Richard Hannon has an excellent record in this race and I really like SEDUCTIVE POWER (best price 4/1) who put his promising first two efforts to good use when opening his account at Newbury four weeks ago and will be suited to the longer trip here. His debut fifth has worked out strongly, as the third - Marbaan, and the second Mysterious Knight, finished first and third in yesterday’s Group Two Vintage Stakes here. 

Despite returning a beaten favourite next time when only fourth, that form has also received a major boost as the winner - Isaac Shelby, followed-up in the Group Two Superlative Stakes. Those two efforts in defeat, in which he wasn’t beaten far in either, tells me what sort of horse we are dealing with here and those form-lines are far stronger than what True Statesman has achieved. 

He powered to victory at Newbury last time over six and the way he hit the line alongside his background suggests he will be even more effective over today’s step up in distance. With a good slot in stall two, and more to come, he can plant himself right in the picture here with four places available with nearly all bookmakers. 

I like the angle of the Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes form from Royal Ascot for this race. The first of two choices is NAVELLO (best price 8/1) who was unlucky not to finish closer at Chester last time and the form of his fifth at Newmarket his penultimate start has worked out ever so strongly given the fourth and fifth placed in a competitive sprint event on this card earlier this week. 

He fared second best of those drawn low when a creditable eighth of 27 off this mark at Royal Ascot and William Buick is booked to ride here. With a clear passage off only a two pounds higher mark than his last winning mark, I can see George Boughey’s capable sprinter running a big race here with four places generally available. 

I also like SWAYZE (best price 9/1) who was just in front of the former at Royal Ascot when he fared best of those drawn low and scored with more up his sleeve than the margin indicated last-time-out. He has gone up five pounds but will be suited to conditions and the pace of this race and is open to a bit more improvement on just his ninth career start. 

He was unfortunate not to finish closer than his creditable eighth in the Molecomb Stakes at this meeting last year when denied a clear passage, but now that he’s found his feet for current connections, he should again be competitive in this grade here with four places widely available. 

As proven yesterday and the day before from the results of the fixture, Galway is extremely difficult to predict, but I want to back two at an each-way price in the Galway Hurdle. The first one is MY MATE MOZZIE (best price 17/2) who gets his favoured good ground and warmed up for this with a spin on the Flat when second back in May. 

He was unlucky to be narrowly denied by a short head in last year’s Grade One Royal Bond and, in that race, he had Mighty Potter back in third, who won the Grade One Champion Novice Hurdle last time. His latest effort in this sphere, saw him shape better than the finishing position indicated when eighth in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham and the assessor has essentially dropped his mark five pounds back on home soil to 141 from 146. 

He will be suited to this race and the first-time cheekpieces will be in place too. I think he will be ridden positively here, which has seen him to best effect in this sphere and he fits the mould as a winner of this race in my opinion. With lots in his favour, he’s an attractive each-way bet with Bet365, Hills, PaddyPower, SkyBet, 888Sport, BetFair and a few more paying six places. 

I was tempted to play Santa Rossa but on a line through her form, I cannot understand why Willie Mullins’ HEIA (best price 14/1) is so large in the betting here compared to the former. She only won a minor event last-time-out but did the job very impressively and before that victory, she ran well behind Anna Bunina, in which she had Santa Rossa well beaten in fifth. 

She’s two pounds better off with the former and the required strong pace she needs, which she will get, will definitely play to her strengths in this race. A mark of 134 is very fair and Sean O’Keeffe is in the saddle, who’s done well for Mullins’ multiple times. Granted luck in-running, I can see this mare running a good race with Bet365, Hills, PaddyPower, SkyBet, 888Sport, BetFair and a few more paying six places.