Saturday Racing Tips from Architect

The Mark/Charlie Johnston stable has a fantastic record in this race, winning it five times, and he has another good chance this time round with DEAR MY FRIEND (best price 8/1). He ran very well when fifth in Vintage Stakes at Goodwood despite racing keenly throughout before a good third in a Listed event at Deauville last-time-out. That form has been massively boosted since, given the second, Blue Rose Cen, subsequently won the Group 1 Marcel Boussac impressively by five lengths. With more to come over this longer distance, he has an excellent each-way chance here. 

Kim Bailey and David Bass have their only runner and ride on the card in this race with EL PRESENTE (best price 12/1), who has a fair each-way chance at the weights on his return here. He couldn’t defend his title in the Badger Beer Chase when last spotted but still ran well to finish fifth and his fourth in the Bet365 Gold Cup off a two pounds higher mark is a high-quality piece of form. He will relish the ground, has a decent record fresh and should relish this course, so at double-figure odds, he’s worth an interest. 

LIGHT N STRIKE (NAP) (best price 3/1) has won three of his eight starts in this sphere and ran a lot better then the beaten margin indicated when seventh in the Summer Plate when he was last spotted in this sphere. He’s been in good form over hurdles since and is the only one of the quartet with fitness on his side, while trainer Emma Lavelle has her team in very good form too and this is her only runner of the day. With loads more to come back over the larger obstacles, and Tom Bellamy here for his only ride on the card, this progressive six-year-old is strongly fancied to put his fitness to good use and emerge as the winner here. 

Richard Hughes’ PRINCE IMPERIAL (best price 25/1) is developing into a very decent stayer and ran a very good race when second to Rajinsky in the trial for this race over course-and-distance and has only been raised two pounds. He gets the services of Jim Crowley and has lots going for him, including the course and ground, so at huge odds, he could hit the frame with various firms paying six places. He looks tailor-made for this test of stamina. 

ZOFFEE (best price 14/1) was very unlucky not to finish closer when hampered at York last time but still ran with credit to take third and has only been nudged up a pound, which seems lenient given the performance in defeat. He’s reunited with Frankie for the first time since the pair were narrowly denied at Newmarket back in July, a race that has worked out well, and he has a good each-way chance on these terms here with six places generally available. 

Chris Gordon runs two here but Tom Cannon has opted for LORD BADDESLEY (best price 6/1), who ran a tremendous race to finish fourth of 14 to Glory And Fortune in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury in February and that is a key piece of form. He probably would have won last time but falling at a crucial stage of the race but he gets into this race on the same mark and has won twice after an absence previously, which bodes well for his chances. He’s a big player here.

BROOMFIELD BURG (best price 9/2) was behind the former in that big race at Newbury and is four pounds lower here. He isn’t the most straightforward but he’s talented and the fact that Jonjo O’Neill Jr. has chosen to ride him over stablemate Zabeel Champion, who he rode to victory last time, means a big run is surely anticipated on his return here. I’ll be disappointed if one of these two cannot go close to taking the spoils.

TOO FRIENDLY (NB) (best price 4/1) landed juvenile events at Stratford and Newcastle on first two starts over hurdles last term before performing with credit when fifth off this very mark in the Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival, in which he had Saint Segal held in behind. He wasn’t disgraced on his final start when fifth in a Grade 1 at Aintree and returns to handicaps in this much easier race off this realistic mark. The four-year-old is a strong-traveller, who should be well-suited to this course, must have major claims on his return, given he easily brings the best form to the table.