Friday Racing Tips from Architect

A good-quality sprint contest with one more chance taken on PENDLETON (best price 9/2) to finally get his head back in front. The six-year-old tends to be hit-and-miss but he ran well when runner-up over track and trip back in June and a repeat showing should see him go one better. He is two-pounds below his last winning mark and the fact that Connor Beasley has opted to stay loyal to him rather than ride stablemate Jawwaal is worth noting. With the course form to draw upon and, in the hope the visor works a second time, he gets the each-way nod here with excellent claims of taking the spoils as he’s expected to be charging late with a power-packed finish under the Beasley drive. 

This will only be the second time ADMIRAL D (best price 6/1) will have tackled seven furlongs but I think he’ll be really well-suited to it now on the back of two placed efforts over six, which have been in slightly better company than today’s race. He has improved with each run for Richard Fahey and he caught the eye two starts back when second of 19 to Lethal Levi at Newmarket, where he made up so much ground from the rear of the field to be nearest the finish. He matched that form when third at Ascot last time behind Adaay In Asia and he would have finished closer to the eventual winner with a clear run. Off the same mark, back up in trip, he has solid each-way credentials with four places widely available. 

THUNDER LEGEND (NAP) (best price 2/1) should be winning this race. He has been super consistent in defeat in all five starts for the William Haggas team and has been beaten less than a length in his last two starts. He came mightily close at Haydock last time, where he was just denied by half-a-length to the progressive Whitebeam which is pretty strong form. 

His connections have reached for all types of equipment so far in the hope he gets his head in front and now tongue-tie and blinkers are both on this time round. His third on handicap debut behind Alflaila is high-class form and he should have the pace to cope with six here, as he’s shown a lot of speed on multiple occasions over seven or further to indicate a drop in trip will probably be favourable. 

His RPR’s and time-figures put him right near the top of this field and he’s the only one of these to show a good level of consistency at this level of higher. Also, an excellent five-pounds claimer has been booked to ride, so there really isn’t any excuses for him here off a low-weight with conditions holding no fears. He ought to be winning this race. 

BASCULE (best price 9/2) caught the eye massively on his seasonal debut at Goodwood, where he was denied a clear passage on multiple occasions and might have even won otherwise, especially with the eye he hit the strongly when it was all too late. He progressed nicely throughout the second half of last season on the all-weather, winning four times in a row, and remains open to even further improvement on just his fourth start on the turf on the Flat. 

I cannot help but feel as though he would have been hit a chunky rise if he had the breaks last time, as he looked sure to at least make the frame, yet the assessor has let him in here off the same mark and this is a much easier race. With plenty in his favour, including the step up in trip on ground he’ll enjoy, he could take some beating here, even if there’s juice in the ground. 

Ed Walker’s CANOODLED (best price 9/4) has yet to score so far this year but again ran well in defeat when fourth last-time-out despite a bad start, in which she made up good late progress to be thereabouts at the finish. She remains off the same mark as when last successful, 73, which came in a class three event at Newmarket, and gets into this race off bottom-weight. Just Amber has claims in her hat-trick bid but this filly has been found a nice opportunity to get back to winning ways, especially knowing that she’s likely to get a good pace to aim at with the former in the field.