Tuesday Racing Tips from Architect

The Milton Harris-trained PYRAMID PLACE (best price 13/2) signed off last season with a couple of well-below par efforts but this five-year-old has gone well fresh a couple of times before and could be ready to run another big race on his return here with conditions suitable. He ran very well on his return last season at Chepstow when second in a class-two event and probably would have won without being hampered three out and a better jump at the last hurdle. 

The winner has let the form down since but that race featured subsequent winner Herbiers, who defied a mark of 132 at Newbury last time. His third behind Tommy’s Oscar off a mark of 120 is another decent bit of form, as the first, second and fifth have all won since, including Sonigino who was back in fifth, who has bolted up at Chepstow on both starts this term. On that evidence, he’s extremely well-treated off 115 here, so with plenty going for him, and his trainer in good form, who has just the one runner on the card, he merits consideration here. 

Boombawn has won three of his last four and is progressing nicely, while Rouge Vif returns to this sphere off a dangerous-looking mark but I am surprised IMPULSIVE ONE (best price 4/1) isn’t shorter in the betting here. He won two novice hurdles in the spring, including over course-and-distance by ten lengths before a good third behind Knight Salute and Porticello in a Grade Two at Doncaster. He resumed winning ways in good style in a Listed event at Musselburgh and ran a decent race when fourth in a Grade One on his final start at Aintree. 

He could only finish fifth on his return at Chepstow last time but it was clear that run was needed and he wasn’t beaten far under Daryl Jacob considering he was carrying top-weight too. A mark of 127 here is lenient on the balance of his form and recent wind surgery should help, while he comes out best at the weights too. He’s the only course-and-distance winner in the field and should get a good pace to aim at too. With fitness assured and a lot of other positives within his credentials, he can go close to upsetting the favourite, who I thought was fortunate to beat Teddy Blue last time. 

CAFE PUSHKIN (best price 4/1) remains a maiden after seven starts but he went very close off this mark at the start of the year at Fontwell and a repeat performance here should see the top-weight go one place better. He wasn’t suited to the way the race panned out last time at Market Rasen but only beaten four lengths at the finish and, on the face of it, this race is a lot easier in terms of quality of opponents. 

His second to Flying Nun, whom he was conceding eleven pounds to, makes him evidently well-handicapped off 105 given the winner is now rated 106. Nigel Twiston-Davies has his team in pretty good form at the moment too, so given the lack of strength in depth in this race, Jordan Nailor can guide the six-year-old to a first career success as he drops into a class five for the first time since narrowly beaten back in January off this exact mark. 

This is a really competitive race and while the top-weight and recent course winner Highstakesplayer will be expected to follow-up by most here, from an each-way perspective, I really do like the look of ECUME ATLANTIQUE (best price 15/2) at decent odds for his in-form handler, who saddles his only runner of the day in this race. 

He was only fourth at Bangor on good ground last time but the rain-softened ground will be much more favourable here and he did very well to win on his stable debut on his penultimate start. He is only a couple of pounds higher in this race and David Bass, who has his only ride on the card, has been booked to ride the eight-year-old. With more to come, Richard Bandey’s charge appeal most at the prices. 

EMITOM (best price 11/2) ultimately hasn’t lived up to the expectations he was expected to fulfil early on in his career and arrives into this race on the back of two pulled up efforts. However, the eight-year-old is thrown in here off his current mark of 128 given his past exploits and he meets Top Ville Ben (who he was only two lengths behind off level weights back in January) on much better terms. 

He of course has plenty to prove at the moment but so do most of these and this former Stayers’ Hurdle fourth has the guidance of Tom Scudamore in the saddle. It’s far from certain but if Warren Greatrex can get him to spark back to something near his best, he could have too much back-class for the likes of Stellar Magic, who’s too short in the betting here. Even though he needs a revival, his price is just too tempting in this grade from an each-way perspective.