Sunday Racing Tips from Architect

The Group One Maurice de Gheest is a high-class sprint contest and, having posted two brilliant races in defeat in finishing third in both the Platinum Jubilee and the Darley July Cup, ARTORIUS (NAP) (best price 11/2) can make it third time lucky with Jamie Spencer keeping the ride, who’s fresh off the back of two winner’s at yesterday’s Shergar Cup meeting at Ascot. 

This classy Australian sprinter caught the eye when he charged home from the back of a high-class field in the Platinum Jubilee at Royal Ascot to be nearest the finish in third. He did well to get as close as he did considering he had to pass nearly every single rival and that big-race manoeuvre nearly materialised into success, as he sliced his way through the field to be beaten less than a length. 

I am pretty sure he would have won without getting blocked off at a crucial part of the race too, which compromised his chances, in which Jamie Spencer had to force him to come around a couple of rivals before staying on strongly in the final fifty yards to be closing rapidly on the eventual winner Native Crown, who benefitted from racing alone against the stands-rail. 

He then went to Haydock to tackle the July Cup and, again, finished with a power-packed late surge to nearly finish upsides Naval Crown when third. He ultimately proved no match for the winner Alcohol Free but considering he was off the bridle a fair way out, which suggested he wasn’t at all comfortable with the track, he stuck to his guns well and had Perfect Power well held in seventh. 

The latter may have underperformed, but this four-year-old has an excellent chance to confirm that form here. This straight six-and-a-half furlong contest will be right up his street and conditions will be perfect for him too. His claims are also boosted due to a favourable draw down the middle in stall seven, which in turn, should give Jamie Spencer plenty of options to get a good position to track the pace. 

Jamie is likely ride him patiently towards the rear and there’s going to be a perfectly-suitable pace on offer, similar to how the Jubilee was run at Royal Ascot, where John Quinn’s Highfield Princess will force the issue if nothing else goes forward and, in assumption the gaps will appear this time round, I can see Anthony and Sam Freedman’s consistent sprinter going close to gaining compensation here. 

I quite like one at a big price in this, which is the Ed Walker-trained CANOODLED (best price 9/1) who holds a much better chance than her odds indicate. She’s a decent filly, who caught the eye two starts back at Salisbury, where she stayed on strongly into fourth in the closing stages and would have finished a lot closer to the runner-up Rose Barton without meeting interference. 

She meets that same rival on fourteen pounds, yes fourteen pounds better terms here! So I have no idea why she was three times the price of her in this contest last night. She then fared best of those held-up when third at Ascot last time behind Tarrabb beaten under two lengths and meets that rival on five-pounds better terms here, so I cannot see why the price between the two is so large. 

This filly has actually improved with each start this year and generously gets into this race off 73, which is the same mark as last time. David Egan, who was second on her at Newmarket back in May, is back in for the ride, and his mount makes quite a bit of appeal at double-figure odds with Bet365, WilliamHill, SkyBet and BetFair paying five places. 

The Ian Williams-trained MALAKHANA (best price 14/1) was brushed aside on the all-weather on her British Flat debut last month but that was over a trip short of her best and connections looked as though they were using that as a prep-run for today’s assignment. She had been in great form over hurdles beforehand, winning four of her seven starts, including a Grade Three and she looks well-handicapped off a mark of 75 with David Egan in the saddle. 

She will be much happier back on the grass, where she excels, and has lots more to come being the least exposed runner in the field for an excellent dual-purpose trainer, who does so well with stayers’ on the flat. This classy filly should easily exceed market expectations and make her presence felt. I think she’s a major threat to the supposed Irish ‘well-treated’ horse. Four places are generally available with most bookmakers.