Sunday Hamilton Placepot Tips from Architect

Leg 1 Selections: Moonstone Boy, Kandy House

Alice Haynes has made a good start to the campaign with her two-year-old’s and Golden Arrow will prove popular on debut but MOONSTONE BOY sets the standard on his two placed efforts at Musselburgh. 

He was undoubtedly a touch unlucky not to win last time, where he was short of room at the start and also two furlongs out, where he couldn’t get clear daylight unlike the winner who had everything go right. 

Still, he picked up once in the clear and was only beaten three-parts-of-a-length, pulling clear with the winner and Iain Jardine's charge is fancied to go one better with improvement to come. I like his chances. 

At a bigger price, KANDY HOUSE, who ran a promising race on debut at Ripon when third, could find the necessary improvement to trouble the market leaders on her second start for Charlie Johnston. 

She held every chance until the final furlong and was only beaten a couple of lengths. The winner, Ziggy’s Phoenix, subsequently won the Lily Agnes at the Chester May Festival, so the form is strong. She is a player. 

Leg 2 Selections: Mereside Diva, Braveheart Boy

In race two, MERESIDE DIVA will be primed to make a bold bid to make it two wins from just five starts, who went close on her handicap/seasonal debut at Doncaster last month and is only a pound higher with that run under her belt. 

She improved with each of her three starts as a two-year-old and would have doubled her tally last time but for suffering interference at the start of the race, as she made relentless progress through the field to pass all but one of her rivals. 

The form of her Musselburgh success has a nice look to it, as the winner has since defied a mark of 75. David Barron’s filly is feasibly well-handicapped off 66 on that evidence and, with plenty more to offer, she should be extremely competitive. 

BRAVEHEART BOY also went into the notebook following a solid-enough fourth on his return at Ripon on handicap debut. where he was only beaten around four lengths having reared in stalls and forfeited a few lengths as a result. 

He has been left on the same mark here and is well-handicapped on his two-year-old form, particularly his Pontefract success, where he beat the 88-rated Washington Heights, who recently chased home the 94-rated Shaquille at Newmarket. 

He should get the perfect set-up here with lots of pace and I think he is at least an 87-rated horse at some point, so this is a great opportunity for him to potentially open his account for the season. Hopefully he gets a good start. 

Leg 3 Selections: Crown Princess, Balalaika

CROWN PRINCESS ran a fair race after wind surgery on her reappearance at Beverley last month and is fancied to win this race for the second year in succession under the guidance of Graham Lee. 

Her win in this last year was from a two pounds higher mark and there has been encouragement in her latest start and on her final start last season. Both those performances were off higher marks and this has no doubt been the target again, so she should go well. 

BALALAIKA is of interest as well, who comfortably beat the 93-rated Ivory Madonna at Newcastle back in September and went close on her return at Southwell. That run should have blown away the cobwebs and this represents an ease in grade. 

Leg 4 Selections: Dutch Decoy, What’s The Story

It is hard to knock the claims of DUTCH DECOY, who won five times last year, including in the latest of those off this mark of 87 at Newmarket in a higher-grade event. In fact, all of his last eight starts have been in class two events, so he is sure to find this easier.

After finishing seventh of 28 in the Cambridgeshire off a mark of 90 on his final start last term, he has acquitted himself well in all three starts this year, finishing midfield on his return in the Spring Mile before a fourth of 13 at Newmarket and then a fifth of 17, which were two really hot handicaps. 

He is a pound lower in this easier and that’s without Oliver Stammers claiming his valuable three pounds, who has ridden him to his last three victories. He is nicely drawn in stall 8 and is unbeaten in two starts at this course. There is a lot to like about his chances. 

WHAT’S THE STORY hardly ever runs a bad race and has mostly competed in stronger races than this throughout his career. His last win was off a five pounds higher mark in this grade at Ayr and his last four wins were off much higher marks. He is drawn well in stall 4 and should be right in the thick end of the action. Big chance. 

Leg 5 Selections: Huddle Up, Edward Cornelius

HUDDLE UP went close when second of 11 on his six furlongs Thirsk reappearance in April and the handicapper has left his mark unaltered here. He defied a five pounds higher mark when trained in Ireland, so he is more than capable of defying this mark for David Barron. 

EDWARD CORNELIUS likes it here, in which his record at the course reads 223 from three starts and went close here last July in a higher-grade race from a four pounds higher mark. A good draw in 5 with Joe Fanning booked to ride makes him appealing shortlist material. 

Leg 6 Selections: Geremia, Ravenscraig Castle

GEREMIA has a tendency to be slow away from the gates but even though he did it again at Newmarket last time, shaped well from an unpromising position when fourth of 16 and is dropped in class from the same mark here. A reproduction of that performance should see him go close to winning this easier contest. 

RAVENSCRAIG CASTLE travelled really well en route to taking a good second at Musselburgh on his return two weeks ago and should be at peak-fitness now. He is on the same mark here and conditions are perfect for him, so he has standout claims in a race he is capable of winning.