Wednesday Racing Tips from Architect

Evan Williams won this race back in 2017 with a hurdling debutante and he can repeat the feat all these years later with LIBBERTY HUNTER (best price 11/4). He improved with each start in bumpers, as following a creditable third behind Quid Pro Quo (fourth in the Grade Two Persian War) and Shearer (last-time-out winner at Cheltenham) this six-year-old won back-to-back events. 

In the latest of those victories, he easily beat the 133-rated Serious Charges, who won his first three starts over hurdles before a solid sixth in a Grade Three at Aintree. On that evidence alone, Evan Williams’ charge could turn out to be above-average and ran well on stable debut when sixth in a Listed event back in February. Given he has the course winning form in the book and brings the strongest bumper form into the race, I rate his chances quite highly here. 

Pembroke created a deep impression on rules debut but TAHMURAS (best price 7/4) Ffos Las second in February when going one place better at Wincanton in March and appeals most at the odds. Paul Nicholls’ five-year-old did everything wrong on debut but was only beaten a neck, which demonstrated a testament to his natural ability, and he saw off a very decent horse in the shape of Blow Your Wad last time. 

The second ran a good race to finish fourth in a Grade Two next time and pushed an odds-on favourite close on hurdles debut at Ascot. The former has all the ingredients to develop into a useful novice hurdler this term and the champion trainer has a good record at this course with his team, while Harry Cobden has a good record with his rides here too, so this son of Falco gets quite a confident vote to make a successful hurdles debut here. 

KNOWSLEY ROAD (best price 5/4) is a short-priced favourite but I still think his price is value and this proven course winner should be a tough nut to crack on his hurdles debut. He shaped with bundles of promise when second on debut at Exeter, and went one better in great style here next time. He should be suited to the step up in distance based on his pedigree and his bumper form and given his trainer has made an excellent start to the campaign, and rates the selection highly, he can open his account at the first time of asking in this sphere here. 

A few of these arrive in decent form but with low mileage and arriving here on the back of a really good effort in defeat when last spotted in this sphere, it’s possible the top-weight COOLMOYNE (best price 11/2) could improve past all of them on just his third chase start here. 

He only got as far as the second on his chase debut but he came close to defying top-weight at Hexham last time, putting in nice late progress to only be beaten a length into third and he remains on the same mark here. His third at Newcastle in a class three to the 134-rated Barrichello (beaten only about three lengths) is solid form and he is one to consider here. 

MAC SUIBHNE (best price 5/2) has been in great form since joining this yard and beat a dual subsequent winner easily in a match-race at Wetherby last time on chase debut. He has gone up four pounds as a result but he’s open to further improvement and the way he dispatched his rival last time despite racing keenly was impressive. 

He jumped and travelled really well and was cruised to victory by fourteen lengths under a motionless Conor O’Farrell. The second has won twice since, so the form has substance, and dropped in class with the potential to easily surpass a mark of 100+, there’s every chance this progressive seven-year-old will remain unbeaten over fences here.