Thursday Racing Tips from Architect

LONG STAY (best price 13/8) has two wins and two seconds from just four starts under rules and ran a very good race following an absence when second on handicap debut at Perth last time. This seven-year-old remains unexposed and the form of his second to Bareback Jack (rated 136+) at Musselburgh makes his mark of 122 look really lenient. With Jack Hogan taking off a valuable five-pounds, which sees him compete in this race off 117, and his trainer is amongst the winners, he looks sure to be in the firing line in the latter stages. 

TOUCH KICK (best price 14/1) might be worth an interest at huge odds here. He was smart when formerly trained by Paul Nicholls and shaped very well at Carlisle three weeks ago in a much tougher race. He’s dropped in grade off a two pounds lower mark and this will be the first time in his career in a class four event over fences off a career-low mark. All of his rivals have plenty to prove at present, whereas this eleven-year-old ran well last time and will find this easier. If he can build on that effort, he surely won’t be far away, so he appeals most here. 

I really like the claims of Jamie Snowden’s GIT MAKER (best price 7/2), who made it three wins from four starts at Newcastle in April and looks every inch a chaser in the making going forward and is already a proven point winner in that sphere. He won his first two starts on soft/heavy ground and the form of his victory over Marco Island looks good as the runner-up went one better next time and might be one to follow for the remainder of the season. 

He lost his unbeaten record at Sandown when fourth on handicap debut but was hampered at a crucial part of the race and I think that affected his confidence. However, he defied a double penalty when last spotted and connections have quickly turned his attention to the larger obstacles here. With lots more to come, a good record fresh and the step up in trip likely to bring about progression, this six-year-old can beat Unanswered Prayers and make a winning start in this discipline. 

Nick Gifford’s DIDTHEYLEAVEUOUTTO (best price 2/1) has often flattered to deceive but he must have a good chance here. The nine-year-old has made the frame in the last two runnings of the Silver Trophy at Chepstow, including last time on his return when fourth, as well as when second in this race last year off a three pounds higher mark, so this has to be the time he surely gets his head in front. The ground will be in his favour and his latest fourth at Chepstow could hardly have worked out any better as the second and seventh have both bolted up since. His connections have been ever so patient with him this season and can therefore be rewarded with success here as question marks are against most of the remainder. 

FLEMCARA (best price 8/1) was well beaten at Warwick last time but he’s effectively now four pounds lower than when narrowly denied over this course-and-distance last November on his reappearance. I think he would have won that day without being hampered in the closing stages by the eventual winner and the handicapper has given him a great chance on his return here, as he’s back on the same mark as when bolting up at Stratford, which also came on good ground, similar to today’s ground. I do fear Siruh Du Lac off his reduced mark though but he was disappointing last time and is stepping up in trip after a really long absence. 

BARTON KNOLL (NAP) (best price 17/2) can go close to making a successful return here. The ten-year-old has run some big races at this course in the past and ran well when third behind Lalor and Al Dancer on his last visit here. He has a good record over this distance and also ran a very good race in defeat when fifth of 14 in the Grade Three Greatwood Gold Cup off a mark of 136. 

That was clearly a much harder race than today’s contest and he’s down seven pounds here over the same course-and-distance. He saves his best for these conditions and Daryl Jacob, who is booked to ride, has his only ride today too. His mount gave weight and a beating to Northern Bound back in November and, on even better terms here with plenty in his favour, he has the ability to confirm that form and beat these or, at the very least, make the frame.

GALOP DU BOSC (best price 2/1) is a bit of a winning machine and could hardly have been more impressive on stable debut last month for Tim Vaughan, winning by twenty lengths. He’s seven-pounds higher in a much deeper race but it would come as a surprise if he couldn’t surpass this mark given how impressively he quickened away from his two rivals last time when Alan Johns pressed the accelerator. With plenty more to come, he can make it two-from-two in this sphere.