Friday Racing Tips from Architect

Super Superjack has sound claims but his price has completely gone and with the extra places on offer, I really like the look of MELLOW MAGIC (best price 17/2) who’s a solid each-way choice here. The four-year-old is developing into a useful stayer for connections and has only finished outside the frame once in thirteen starts which is quite remarkable. She has continued her good form throughout this year so far and has taken her form up another notch since going up in trip to two miles, with four consecutive placed efforts to her name. 

Three of those have been at this course too and she also finished an excellent third in the Northumberland Vase before a head second at Chester three weeks ago. This filly gets a major pull in the weights with Zoffee, so she’s got every chance of reversing the form in this event and apprentice Harry Davies takes off a valuable five pounds too. With her course record reading 223 and this extra distance worth exploring, she has to enter calculations with lots in her favour and off a low weight with nearly all firms paying four places.  

Ian Williams’ has a phenomenal record in this race and while he’s not proven over a trip this far, it was hard not to be impressed with the way HYDROPLANE (best price 10/1) got back to winning ways at Chester last time, where he was really suited to front-running tactics under De Sousa and once he poured on the pressure from two furlongs out, he stretched further and further clear from the field to score and destroy his opponents by six lengths and was evidently eased down in the closing stages. 

The way he hit the line that day, suggests he will have no trouble going up in distance and connections have kept De Sousa in the saddle here which is great. He has been hit with a six pounds rise for that easy success but I don’t think that will prevent another bold display and, if he is ridden in the same manner as last time, he could win this if he stays the distance. I reckon backing him each-way with most firms paying four places is good value as his trainer will have him primed to try and extend connections' great record in this contest. 

The St James’s Palace Stakes form is continuing to work out strongly and while he was just behind Berkshire Shadow at the finish, there’s no doubt BAYSIDE BOY (best price 3/1) would have been in front of him again with a clear passage and is fancied to capitalise on this ease in grade. 

Roger Varian’s charge was very classy as a two-year-old last term, in which he won a Group Two and was twice third in back-to-back Group 1 events. He was over a length clear of Berkshire Shadow when third in the Dewhurst last year (pulled away from him in the closing stages) and he may have finished at least second to Native Trail without having to wait for the gaps to open up when the winner had already gone clear. 

He matched that form when filling the same spot in the Vertem Futurity at Doncaster next time and is sure to appreciate the ease in grade here given his last four races have all been in Group 1 contests. With Ryan Moore booked to ride and all of his form displayed suggesting he’s a much better horse than his two market rivals, he makes a lot of appeal at the odds and should flourish in this grade which can see him deservedly get back to winning ways. 

David O’Meara has a number of intended runners in this race but it should be noted that Danny Tudhope has decided to stick with BLUE FOR YOU (best price 9/1) who has gone close on his last three starts off big weights and is eligible to compete off the same mark as when narrowly denied at York on his penultimate start but is off a lightweight this time, which is beneficial and could make a massive difference. 

He should have no trouble with the return to a mile (won over this trip in Ireland) and couldn’t be drawn any better in stall 1 too, which will allow him to get a good early position which is absolutely vital in these events. This is more competitive than last time but he’s been ultra-solid for this yard up to this point and this could be the time he gets his head in front. He is so well-handicapped and is an appealing each-way proposition with Bet365, Hills, PaddyPower, SkyBet and BetFair paying six places. 

Lawful Command and Rebel Territory were on my shortlist but, at even bigger odds, I cannot see why OUZO (best price 20/1) isn’t shorter, who was unlucky not to beat both Sinjaari and Checkandchallenge last-time-out. That was a great effort in defeat to bounce back from his Royal Ascot disappointment and he’s essentially been left on the same mark here with a good draw in stall seven to work with too. 

He was fourth in the Royal Hunt Cup two years ago off a mark of 96 over a mile on similar conditions and is technically five pounds lower here with his riders claim taken into account. If he can reproduce his latest showing in this contest, this experienced handicappe has a good chance of winning this event with a lot going for him. With Bet365, Hills, PaddyPower, SkyBet and BetFair all paying six places, he has to be worth an interest. 

Charlie Hills has a great record in this race given Battaash won four of the last five renewals for him and he’s got a good chance of winning it again with EQUILATERAL (best price 11/1). I know he isn’t ideally drawn in stall 1, but neither are his two main market rivals and it’s likely Kieran Shoemark will drop him in again behind the pacesetters as there’s bound to be loads of pace on offer. 

He is the best horse in this race and he would have undoubtedly beaten both Raasel and Mitbaahy comfortably at Sandown on his penultimate start without traffic issues, as he was travelling better then the whole field but couldn’t find a gap on multiple occasions when needed, which led to him having his momentum halted twice before flying home on the bridle when in the clear without breaking sweat. 

He ran well when third in a Group Two in Ireland two weeks ago and, with stablemate Khaadem sure to give him a nice lead into the contest, his turn of foot and class could be too much for these if he gets better luck in-running here. This race, a stiff five furlongs on good to firm ground, is absolutely tailor-made for him, so this offers him a good opportunity for redemption. He’s a standout each-way pick at insulting odds here. 

At an even bigger price, I wouldn’t rule out a big performance from CLARENDON HOUSE (best price 18/1) who I know was below form in France last time but that’s not the first time he’s let down his supporters in that country and he’s better judged on his form over here, especially his second here back in May. He was only beaten a head over track and trip by Raasel when giving the winner five pounds that day and meets that rival off level weights this time round.

While the latter has improved since, the return to this course will suit Robert Cowell’s speedy four-year-old. He still has yet to prove himself at this level, but the nature of this race will really suit his style of running, and he’s drawn effectively in stall eight with De Sousa booked to ride too. He holds a much better chance than his odds indicate in this contest, so I’ll take my chances on him hopefully outperforming market expectations. 

Bolt Action is sure to prove popular but the Charlie Hills-trained PADDY’S DAY (best price 10/1) makes more appeal at the prices. He made a winning start to his career at Windsor in May, where he travelled well on the front end and quickened up stylishly to score with more in hand the margin indicated at the line. 

He drops significantly in grade here on the back of an encouraging eighth in the Coventry Stakes and the fact that connections even supplemented him for that race tells me how much he’s held in high regard. Furthermore, he’s drawn nicely in stall twelve here and is open to further improvement, so with five places widely available across bookmakers, he could have a major say in the outcome here. 

RUMSTAR (best price 20/1) has seemingly been overlooked in this contest at double-figure odds but that’s not going to put me off backing him each-way. He was narrowly denied on debut before beating a subsequent winner at Bath comfortably and has subsequently shaped nicely in finishing third and fourth on his last two starts in Listed company. 

He wasn’t beaten far at all last time behind Rocket Rodney, especially when you consider how badly he veered left coming out of the stalls, while he didn’t get the smoothest of passages either. It’s likely connections will have done a lot of work on him to iron his quirks and, if he can put it all together here, has the ability to go well at large odds with Rob Hornby booked to ride. Five places widely available with bookmakers.

Noel Meade’s LUNAR POWER (best price 10/1) has some really strong form in the book in which he was twice placed in Grade Two and Grade Three events and wasn’t beaten far when fourth in another Grade Two last time that has worked out well. He makes his handicap debut here off a lenient-looking mark of 130 and has the vital course form too, as he was second on the Flat here last year. Bryan Cooper has been booked to ride and his mount brings the strongest form-lines into the race, so with most firms paying five places, he’s a serious each-way player in the opener. I would have him nearly favourite for this race.