Friday Racing Tips from Architect

BEYOND AMBITIOUS (best price 9/4) should be hard to beat in this race. This mare hasn’t been given the credit she’s deserved for her bumper efforts, which includes an excellent second in a Grade Three (strong form) before beating a next-time-out winner from the Willie Mullins team. She could only finish fourth on her hurdles debut but that effort came just two weeks after her bumper success, yet she still had a few subsequent winners in behind. That said, she’s been given a break since, which is ideal, and should be able to beat these with loads more to come as her form looks far stronger than what Still Ciel has achieved.  

KILASHEE (best price 16/1) isn’t exactly consistent but what she does have is course-and-distance winning form, which came off only a four-pounds lower mark and completed her double around this time last year. She can spit the dummy out when she gets taken on for the lead but this seven-year-old mare is three-pounds below her last winning mark and she wasn’t disgraced when sixth over a trip short of her best last-time-out.

With the return to this longer trip favourable, and a seven-pounds claimer booked to ride, she has a much stronger chance than her double-figure odds indicate here. Bet365, PaddyPower, SkyBet and 888Sport are offering four places. 

WESTERN DOYEN (best price 9/1) is also worth an interest at the odds and at the foot of the weights. He’s yet to tackle a trip this far but the way he kept on strongly last time when narrowly denied suggests it could actually unlock further improvement. Additionally, he’s only gone up three-pounds for that narrow defeat, which doesn’t seem too harsh, and the nine-year-old arrives in good form, which can’t be said about most of the remainder in all fairness.

He is, in fact, rated a pound higher than the favourite at the moment and ran a satisfactory race here on his penultimate start over a trip too short. Despite being two pounds wrong at the weights, he merits consideration here. Bet365, PaddyPower, SkyBet and 888Sport are offering four places. 

LILY LIGHT FOOT (best price 7/2) is improving at a rate of knots and while her mark is gradually getting higher, that didn’t stop her from nearly taking the spoils last time when beaten just a neck at Down Royal off a mark of 101. She’s another three pounds higher here, but it’s hard to knock her consistency in the handicapping scenery and her overall record on good ground is nothing short of solid.

Given she’s likely to be up with the pace and the drop back in trip looking as though it could be a good move based on her run style and having stamina in abundance, she could take some beating here and is selected as a WIN bet only. 

KITTY GALORE (best price 14/1) has a 250+ day absence to overcome but she goes well fresh and makes plenty of each-way appeal off this mark back over hurdles. She’s another who will be ridden very handily, which will suit around this venue, and she will find this much easier than when fifth in a Grade Two over fences when last spotted.

She handles all conditions and the last time we saw her over hurdles, she finished a creditable third at Punchestown off only a pound lower mark against higher-rated opponents. Rated 124 over fences, she is thrown in here off 104, so if Brouder can get a good tune out of this mare, this eight-year-old has excellent claims of at least making the frame here. 

JOESWAYORNOWAY (best price 7/1) has only won once in twenty-seven starts but shaped well back over fences last time when runner-up and is well-treated off 99 based upon her hurdles form in which she was rated as high as 112. She’s ran well in each of her starts on good ground and an excellent claimer has been booked to ride, who can offset two-pounds. She came close to winning off an eleven-pounds higher mark last year over hurdles, so she’s clearly capable when at her best. If she can build on her latest second, which is possible, she’s an each-way player at attractive odds. If you shop around, a lot of bookmakers are offering four places for this race too. She has the ability to go close in this weak contest.