Tuesday Racing Tips from Architect

RAAJIL (best price 12/1) won two of his first three starts and has shaped well in all four starts this year on the all-weather in much stronger company than today’s event. He was right behind subsequent winner What’s The Story when fifth over a mile back in April and while he couldn’t land a blow the next twice, he caught the eye back at Kempton last time when fifth. He was doing all of his best work in the closing stages to suggest he’s worth a crack at this longer distance and this represents an ease in grade too. In addition, Jack Mitchell is reunited with him, who’s been in the saddle for both his victories, and although he has to concede a lot of weight, Tom Clover’s charge makes fair each-way appeal at the odds.

The Karl Burke-trained MILBANKE (best price 10/1) produced a sparkling debut performance over this course-and-distance back in July and has a fairly good chance on that form alone here. He was limited to just the one start for the remainder of last year, in which he returned a beaten favourite at Carlisle, but he shaped reasonably well on his return from a year off a few weeks ago. The handicapper has dropped him a pound for that effort and he should come on enormously for that outing too. On the evidence of his victory here on debut, in which he had 89 and 107-rated horses in behind, he’s very well-treated off 76 and is an attractive proposition with four places widely available under Clifford Lee. 

Stuart Edmunds’ ADDOSH (best price 3/1) is a good-quality mare and has yet to finish out of the frame in all completed starts over hurdles, in which she has won three of her completed six starts. I liked the way she went about her business last-time-out at Southwell as she travelled really well, as she often does, before displaying her customary turn of foot to win by six-lengths. That wasn’t much of a race but she was eased down in the closing stages and I don’t think a six-pounds rise will inconvenience her here. Most of her opponents find it difficult to win and are inconsistent, so this is a fine opportunity for this talented mare to win again before having her sights set at bigger targets later this year. She should be a clear favourite for this in my opinion, so her odds are value.

GRANDFATHER TOM (best price 12/1) has loads of experience of this venue and while he couldn’t land a blow at Nottingham last-time-out, the return to this course off bottom-weight gives him solid claims. He made a bold bid from the front when runner-up to Stone Circle over course-and-distance on his penultimate start and is much better off at the weights with that rival here. His overall record over course-and-distance reads 24121542 and given his two wins were off 70 and 76, the latter coming in this race two years ago, he’s handicapped to strike at any time again off 63. Not only does he have the form in the book, but connections have appointed Hayley Turner to ride, who gets down to do the low weight of 8st 9Ib. I like him a lot each-way for this race. 

Stuart Williams’ SHANKO (best price 12/1) hasn’t kicked on since finishing third at Windsor in a class two event but hopefully the combination of a tongue-strap and Sean Levey in the saddle will make a major difference. This three-year-old ran well in a bunch finish at Chelmsford on his penultimate outing and his latest run can be ignored given he made a complete mess of the start. He’s very well-handicapped off 79 on the pick of his form and given he’s gone close twice off higher marks against higher rated opponents, he is capable of being competitive here if everything falls into place. In the hope Sean Levey can work his magic, he must have a good chance on these terms. James Watt isn’t out of this either at a huge price. 

The Richard Hannon-trained AL SHIBLI (best price 3/1) should be approaching peak-fitness now and is strongly fancied to make a mockery of his mark of 82 here. He ran a promising race on his all-weather debut when fourth at Kempton last time, where he travelled noticeably well and kept on well in the closing stages to nearly grab third. His victory at Chester last year, however, in which he beat I’m A Gambler, is quality form, as the runner-up won a valuable handicap in Ireland over the weekend off a mark of 106. On that evidence, he’s surely thrown in here off 82 with lots more to come and, with Dane O’Neill in the saddle, allied to a good draw in stall two, he should be able to plant himself right into the picture. 

TRANSLINK (best price 7/1) never went a yard on seasonal/chase debut but otherwise he’s been really progressive over hurdles and made it three wins from just eights starts in this sphere at Worcester last time. He did well to get the job done that day given his rider became unbalanced when the saddle slipped and a four-pounds rise looks manageable, as he would have won easier than the official neck margin last time without the saddle issue. His trainer is in fine form at the moment and this seven-year-old has actually won three of his last four starts in this sphere and should be arriving here four wins in a row over hurdles, as he was beaten just a nose by the 119-rated Getalead the other time. He remains well-handicapped off 116 and is a strong-traveller, who will get a good pace to aim at, so I am quite surprised he isn’t favourite for this race, as his form is strong and his figures are rock-solid over hurdles. With more to come, he can go close to enhancing his impressive strike-rate in handicaps with conditions very much ideal.