Saturday Racing Tips from Architect

REVICH (best price 5/1) won a pretty good renewal of this race last year and while he’s three-pounds higher this time round, against slightly tougher opponents, Richard Spencer has probably aimed him at this race all season. He wasn’t given a hard time of things when down the field here over further just two days ago and has already made the frame three times this year off marks of 95, 95 and 96 and ran a blinder when third in the Golden Mile. He came from well off the pace that day to be nearest the finish and he’s a pound lower in this event. This suggests he’s not badly handicapped at all on recent evidence and, if over his run from two days ago, he must have a fantastic chance off top-weight. Four places generally available.

David Barron has an impressive 21% strike-rate at this course in the last five years and I also like his PERSUASION (best price 20/1), who’s been mostly consistent in defeat this year and was unlucky not to win at Doncaster two starts ago when denied a clear passage before surging home to take third. He was well beaten on his only previous try at a mile but interestingly that was in the 2,000 Guineas two years ago, so he’s well worth another shot at this distance. He should be suited to the way this race will develop and, being two-pounds below his last winning mark, he has the capabilities to run a big race here with four places generally available. 

MARIE’S DIAMOND (best price 18/1) has predominantly been campaigned over shorter throughout his career and while he’s been down the field on his last two attempts over this trip and is only a losing spell, he does have a bit of decent form over this distance (second in Dubai) and this could be the time to catch him, as I can only see the favourite Phantom Flight as his main danger. 

It favours to be up with the pace at this venue and that’s exactly why this hardy front-runner has done well on both his previous trips to the Scottish venue. He won one of them and was narrowly denied in the other and following a creditable second to Alflaila at Pontefract in July, he ran well when third behind that same rival in a Group Three at York and filled the same spot behind the progressive Triple Time in another Group Three last time. 

It’s quite possible he’ll get a soft lead too, as his early pace should prove too much for Dark Moon Rising to handle and Jason Hart, who keeps the partnership intact, is at the top of his game this year. This is a drop in grade from his last three assignments, so if he can run to his verified ability over this longer distance with track and conditions up his street, he should make a bold bid now returned to the scene of his success here last year. 

ADAAY TO REMEMBER (best price 14/1) was sent off a strong favourite on her first trip to Ireland last time and while that didn’t materialise with success, her performance wasn’t too bad considering she was only beaten just over a length when racing on the part of the course. She’s a very consistent filly and is well worth a shot at this shorter trip and I feel as though it will be the making of her. She’s showed a lot of speed in all her races to date and is drawn well here in stall 12. Patrick Owens and Louis Steward have rattled the crossbar in some valuable pots this season but this filly has a good chance of being extremely competitive here. She’s made the frame on both previous starts at Newmarket over six and it’s possible she will go forward this time round. If she can get into her full-flowing rhythm, I can see this talented filly running a blinder at big odds. Four places are available with Bet365, PaddyPower, SkyBet, BetFair, Coral and BetFred. 

BERNARDO O’REILLY (best price 25/1) would ideally prefer a bit more juice in the ground but I still think he has a good chance of improving on his creditable sixth in this race two years ago off the same mark. He wasn’t able to land a blow in the Bronze Cup at this meeting last year but he absolutely sprouted wings in this in 2020, coming from miles back to finish sixth and to this day, I haven’t seen a horse finish a race as strongly as he did on that occasion at this venue. That eye-catching display was off this mark and he beat a few of these at Doncaster last year on worse terms. Danny Tudhope has been booked to ride and if he can keep his mount interested in the early stages, there won’t be many finishing fast than this eight-year-old, who has valid claims of at least filling the frame again with six places widely available. 

Jane Chapple-Hyam’ has two participants in this year’s line-up and jockey bookings suggest that APLOMB (best price 20/1) is the main hope here. He is probably seen to best effect when there’s a spot of rain about but he was unlucky at Thirsk last time on good ground, where he travelled best and was held in a pocket over a furlong from the finish, which saw him have to go around the carpark before flying home when the race was pretty much done without being asked for maximum efforts. The assessor has kindly relinquished his mark by a pound and he’s made the frame multiple times off higher marks in the past and this race appears to have been a long-term project. He’ll be very well-suited to the pace in this race and while he could only finish midfield in this twelve months ago, he’s got a good chance of improving on that here off his four-pounds lower mark as he arrives in better form. Six places widely available. 

CHOLA EMPIRE (best price 12/1) has only had the three starts to date and having won on debut on the all-weather, he ran well on his only other start last year to finish third. He wasn’t disgraced on his return from a long layoff to finish fifth of six on his turf/handicap debut here, taking a blow before staying on nicely in the closing stages and will have learnt a lot. This is a drop in grade and Hayley Turner maintains the partnership, which is a positive sign. He is open to further progression and this mark looks lenient, so he could easily outrun his double-figure odds. 

Khanjar is the current favourite for the feature race of the day, so there’s no way Richard Fahey’s ADMIRAL D (best price 25/1) should be available at such large odds who was in front of the former comfortably at Newmarket. I know he hasn’t been able to get heavily involved in three starts since but I really liked the way he come through the field at Newmarket to take second with Khanjar held in third.

He is effectively three-pounds lower here if you take his riders five-pounds claim into account and is better off with the favourite too, so there’s no reason why he can’t match that form in this contest. His trainer reckons he’ll be a better horse on soft ground but I beg to differ given that Newmarket display on better ground and this race should be run to suit. He’s ideally drawn down the middle, will carry a low weight, and is pretty well-treated too, so there’s a lot to like about his chances with six places widely available. 

David Barron’s ZARZYNI (best price 28/1) wasn’t at his best at York last time for whatever reason but that’s the only time he has actually disappointed in the UK so I’m putting a line through that performance. He was, however, mightily progressive beforehand, in which his form figures over here besides that latest blip, reads an impressive 3212222143. 

He ran well to finish fourth in a Group Three at Newmarket and backed that up with a solid third of 20 at Ascot off this mark, where he charged home from a rubbish draw to be nearest the finish behind Mountain Peak. He is reunited with Ben Curtis here, and is drawn well in stall 11, so if he can produce his power-packed late surge when the race develops, he is solid contender for at least frame prospects with six places widely available. 

RED FLYER (best price 14/1) has seemingly slipped under the radar again here and I’m not sure why as he’s won three times and has made the frame in two of his last three starts. He looked as though he stayed two-miles perfectly fine at York last time and the step up to this trip could unlock further improvement with Hayley Turner remaining in the saddle. This four-year-old came close to winning a valuable pot at this venue in July when narrowly denied by a short-head to Soapy Stevens. That form has worked out strongly with a host of subsequent winners in behind, including the Ebor winner, and this youngster is continuing to improve. With more to come, and in the hope he stays the distance, he makes plenty of appeal. 

PRINCE IMPERIAL (best price 11/1) looked in need of his return at Newmarket, which was his first start in 11 months, and Richard Hughes has likely aimed him at this race for a while. This unexposed stayer has had just the five starts over two-miles or further, winning three of those and caught the eye behind Arcadian Sunrise at York last year off this exact mark. He should strip a lot fitter for that latest reappearance and he remains a horse with untapped potential now tackling this longer distance. In fact, both of his starts over 2m1f have resulted with success, so he should have no trouble with this extra furlong and he doesn’t have a lot to find with Rajinsky here. With more to offer in the refitted blinkers, he’s an appealing each-way proposition at decent odds. 

POL ROGER (NAP) (best price 4/1) hasn’t exactly looked really impressive in both wins to date but he won with more in hand than the margin indicated last-time-out and the time before that too and his latest performance can be marked up, as he was giving over a stone to the odds-on favourite She’s Hot. Connor Beasley and Michael Dods are in great form of late and that positive mention bodes well for the chances of this hat-trick seeker, who should be well-suited to this course. Animate is the chief threat but he could get taken on for the lead with other pacesetters in the field and the race should be set-up perfectly for Pol Roger, who is making giant strides. His attitude and qualities will stand him in good stead too, so he rates a confident each-way choice with four places widely available.