Friday Chester Placepot Tips from Architect

Leg 1 Selections: Ffion, Revich

FFION won over seven furlongs at this meeting last year and then won at this course back in September to make it two wins from four starts at the course. Both wins were gained on soft ground, so he has conditions to suit and while stall 12 is far from ideal, Hollie Doyle rides and he should go well in his quest to extend his fine record on the Roodee. 

REVICH also runs this track well with a great record on the Roodee over track and trip, which reads an excellent 13114233 and was a very unlucky third in this last year from a three pounds higher mark, where he stormed home once in the clear to be narrowly beaten. After a fine third at Newbury last time from this mark over a mile, he’s a leading player back over his best distance under Jim Crowley. 

Leg 2 Selections: Groundbreaker, Fantastic Fox

Andrew Balding has already fired multiple winners at this meeting so far and he could have another in the shape of GROUNDBREAKER, who won on his return last season and gets the services of Oisin Murphy here. 

He was last seen running well to finish fourth over this trip at Newbury and the first three home from that race are all rated over 100, so he is well-treated off 99 and has good claims on his seasonal debut with his form-lines working out well.

FANTASTIC FOX should be fitter from his encouraging return fourth at Epsom and ran well on heavy ground last year when second at Newbury, albeit beaten seven lengths by impressive winner Mujtaba. 

His best form has been over shorter but he remains on a nice mark and should get a good pace to aim at with Pride Of America in the field. He could make the frame at a value price. 

Leg 3 Selections: Foxes Tales, Point Lonsdale

FOXES TALES couldn’t get a win last season but has returned with a bang this season, finishing a really good third in the Winter Derby at Lingfield before impressively landing the Listed Magnolia Stakes at Kempton under Oisin Murphy, who retains the ride. 

He is a former Group 3 winner on soft ground and a gelding operation has shown a resurgence in form this year. Both Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy have been in flying form at this meeting and this five-year-old must hold every chance returned to the turf. 

POINT LONSDALE is a big, powerful unit, who is unbeaten in three starts on soft ground though and while he could only muster a midfield finish in the 2000 Guineas last season, he resumed his progress with success on his first crack at this trip at the Curragh after a year off the track last month. He has to be recognised as a major player for the Moore/O’Brien combination with conditions to suit. 

Leg 4 Selections: Calling The Wind, Euchen Glen, Emiyn

CALLING THE WIND has lots of quality form to his name, who won at Glorious Goodwood nearly two years ago over 2m4f and has placed in the Queen Alexandra twice at Royal Ascot and also when second in the November Handicap off 103. He is three pounds lower for this race, the same mark as when third in the 2021 Cesarewitch and warmed up for this with an eye-catching staying on fourth at Wolverhampton last time in a middling affair. I think he is set to go very well with Jamie Spencer taking the ride. 

EUCHEN GLEN hasn’t won for nearly two years but has been campaigned superbly by his trainer and has run some big races in defeat since his last success. He caught the eye last-time-out when a staying-on fourth of 14 from the back of the field in the World Pool Queen's Cup. His stamina has to be taken on trust, but he is a class horse who should get the run of the race, will handle the ground and has come down to a nice mark in the handicapping scene. If he stays, he has an excellent place chance at least. 

EMIYN loves this course and is drawn well in stall 1 to attack early and get prominent pitch early doors. He handles testing ground, ran well over an inadequate trip to finish third in the November Handicap on similar ground off only a pound lower mark. He ran a big race when fourth off top-weight in the Chester Plate at this meeting last year from the front on ground quick enough and has no doubt been aimed at this race since. 

Leg 5 Selections: Banderas, King Of The Plains

BANDERAS has displayed race-by-race progress and after travelling well at Newbury last time when looking like the likely winner, he was headed in the final few strides. He will face two interesting newcomers but Ryan Moore gets the leg up and he could be ready to open his account. 

KING OF THE PLAINS is related to plenty of pattern-class horses and this son of Roaring Lion has a good chance to establish himself as a smart two-year-old on debut. Oisin Murphy will ride, who had two winners here yesterday and, and this potentially smart prospect could provide the favourite with the most resistance. 

Leg 6 Selections: Aqwaam, Heart Of Soul

Ian Williams has a good chance of landing this race with AQWAAM, who is only a pound higher than when beating an 81-rated sort at Galway on heavy ground last July. He ran well when second at Doncaster last time on soft ground the application of first-time cheekpieces is an interesting move. He is one of the biggest dangers in the race off the same mark as last week. 

HEART OF SOUL might just need this starting out for a new stable but after all, he is a multiple course-and-distance winner and all three of those wins were off higher marks. This eight-year-old would be seen to best effect on better ground but he does handle soft and could surprise a few with a decent run despite being one of the outsiders of the party.