Tuesday Racing Tips From Architect

Tom Lacey looks to have a really smart filly on his hands in the shape of MASKED MATGIL (best price 10/11) who shaped well when runner-up on debut last month, beaten just half-a-length, and confirmed that promise when easily going one better three weeks later. She hardly broke sweat that day, as she eased her way into contention on the bridle and quickened up in great style to win by two lengths plus. 

The form has yet to really be tested yet but she went through that race like a filly with serious potential, likewise to her debut effort, and with the size and scope to develop into an even better hurdler, she can make the trip down to Wales worthwhile for connections and Stan Sheppard, with the latter having his only ride on the card. 

Paddy Brennan is quite selective with the rides he takes for his boss Fergal O’Brien and given the boss has numerous runners today, it’s significant to see Paddy having his only ride of the day on FESTIVE GLORY (best price 11/8) who merits consideration. Following two spins in bumpers, in which he showed promise, he shaped encouragingly on his hurdles debut when second to a warm favourite from the Donald McCain stable. 

This son of Fame And Glory was well adrift of the winner at the finish but did have subsequent winner Onward Route back in third, so the form looks relatively strong in the context of today’s easier assignment. The step up in trip should unlock further progression and he is fancied to get the better of the argument with Art Of Illusion, who’s becoming expensive to follow. 

The Nightingale House Hospice Handicap Chase can hopefully go the way of top-weight THE GOLDEN REBEL (NAP) (best price 3/1), who should appreciate the ease in grade and return to this shorter distance. The eight-year-old is very lightly-raced for his age and ran a lot better then the finishing position indicated in the Staffordshire Plate last time, where he travelled well for a long way before his stamina eked away in the last couple of furlongs. 

The fact that he was sent off just 13/2 suggests better was expected and his earlier fourth behind Dusart and Sounds Russian at Ayr looks the best piece of form on offer here. He had previously looked set to give Erne River and some other good horses plenty to think about at Doncaster when in front and going well until falling at the ninth fence. He’s four pounds lower now and is only three-pounds higher than when bolting up in this grade at that same venue back in December, where he beat Emir Sacree by eight lengths. 

The second has won easily since off a mark of 131, so the former is clearly well-handicapped off 130 here and Jack Andrews, who’s the only rider to have won him, takes off his valuable three-pounds. A small break will have done his mount the world of good and with his overall form looking head and shoulders above what most of these have achieved, this is an excellent chance for him to showcase his class with victory on his return under suitable conditions over his optimum distance. 

BRIDGE ROAD (best price 9/4) has come extremely close the last two times and arguably should have won both given the margin of defeat each time. However, the assessor has only put him up a couple of pounds from last time and this looks a tad easier than his latest effort in defeat despite coming up against a couple of other in-form participants. 

This enormous six-year-old is yet to run at this course but I feel as though this course will play more to his strengths and he is Jennie Candlish’ only representative on the card too. Given he remains on a fairly decent mark with more to come under favourable conditions, he has every chance of going one better here if Sean Quinlan can just delay his challenge a little longer in the straight. 

The Evan Williams-trained HERENORD (best price 7/1) has been threatening to get his head in front this year and made an odds-on favourite work extremely hard when second on his return to hurdles last time. He looked like he was going to win at one stage and might have done so without hanging left on the run-in, in which he was headed and beaten just a length. 

That was in a class-three event and he drops down a couple of grades here back in a handicap off the same mark with Lewis Gordon taking off seven-pounds. The opposition is rather thin, so being Evan Williams’ only runner, who operates at an impressive 20% strike-rate here the last five season’s, this could be the day the five-year-old finally and deservedly gets his head in front.