Monday Racing Tips from Architect

SHETLAND BUS (best price 10/3) was much the best of these over hurdles and completed a three-timer last year for his former boss, defying a mark of 127 in the last of those wins. He has gradually got his act together over fences and ran really well when third in a bunch finish at Bangor last time. That form has worked out well with the winner scoring again since and the nine-year-old drops in grade off a two-pounds lower mark here. Luke Scott’s eight-pounds claim is also valuable, so while he was pulled up when last spotted at this course, he should prove a different proposition this time round and can gain reward for his consistency over fences.

DREAM IN THE PARK (NAP) (best price 5/4) shaped well when runner-up in a pair of bumpers late last year and the form of both his placed efforts in this sphere looks solid in the context of this assignment. He has been unfortunate to bump into some useful types in practically all his starts to date but will find this easier and he makes his handicap debut off a fair mark of 110. He is Emma Lavelle’s only runner on the card too, who is 9-39 here (23% strike-rate), so her sole representative has excellent claims of getting off the mark here under Tom Bellamy despite his big weight.