Wednesday York Placepot Tips From Architect

Leg 1 Selections: Tasman Bay, Forza Orta, La Yakel

For starters, in leg 1, we have a competitive-looking renewal of the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap. The most interesting runner is handicap debutant TASMAN BAY, who we don’t see too often but has a touch of class. He had a productive and solid year in 2021, placing behind Hurricane Lane, John Leeper and Alenquer in Group/Listed events and was also third behind Dubai Honour in a Group 2 in France. 

Only seen three times last year, he didn’t really show much in each but this is a major drop in grade to the races he has been competing in and all of his placed efforts in 2021, including at Royal Ascot, marks him down as a well-handicapped individual off 102 here on handicap/stable/seasonal debut. If William Haggas has revitalised him back to anything near his best, he will surely be too good for these. 

I will also give an appraisal case to FORZA ORTA, who warrants consideration at double-figure digits. Kevin Ryan’s five-year-old won over course-and-distance last July, beating recent Sunday Series winner, Geremia. His only other previous start at the course, which also coincidentally came over track and trip, saw him finish second to the 103-rated Gassee. 

The form has worked out well with a host of subsequent winners to have emerged from that race since. He will be a lot fitter from his seasonal pipe-opener at Thirsk and the combination of this course and ground from this mark should see him outrun his odds. This track clearly brings out the best in him as well with conditions to his advantage.

Of the remainder, LA YAKEL was a good fourth of 16 in the Old Rowley Cup at Newmarket and surely has more to come after just five starts. His connections have won twice before as well. 

Leg 2 Selections: First Folio, Lucky Man

The Churchill Tyres Handicap looked a bit of a minefield at first glance but I have come to the conclusion FIRST FOLIO should be set to run well for James Ferguson. 

He is only three pounds higher than when winning at Yarmouth and has interestingly been campaigned on the all-weather since, where he has ran well in defeat in each of those. 

He ran a tidy race when a staying-on fourth at Kempton on his return in March and is only a pound higher than when sixth of 26 in the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot last year. 

His knowledge of the Knavesmire is also beneficial, in which he has a win and a placed effort to his name over course-and-distance. Six furlongs here tends to benefit those drawn high and he is in stall 21, therefore, he has to be included. 

LUCKY MAN has a win and two placed efforts at this course. He was a neck second to the 106-rated Gale Force Maya before going one better next time over the same course-and-distance. His fourth in the Ayr Gold Cup and fifth in the Sprint Trophy were other good efforts. He must have leading claims if fit enough on his return. 

Leg 3 Selections: Highfield Princess, Emaraaty Ana

This is a cracking renewal of the Group 2 Duke Of York Clipper and it’s impossible to discount any of them.

However, last year’s winner HIGHFIELD PRINCESS proved a revelation last season, winning this before bagging herself three Group 1’s in succession, and is going to be hard to beat on her comeback start here, even with the lack of a run under her belt this time. 

John Quinn’s massively-improved filly beat a good-quality field in this last year, which featured recent winners, Vadream, Garrus and Spycatcher while Minzaal won the Group 1 Sprint Cup on his final appearance last season, so the form of last year’s renewal has some serious depth to it. 

Not only did she win this, but she won the Maurice de Gheest, the Nunthorpe and the Flying Five before an excellent fourth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. She has to concede fitness to a few of these but she should be hard to beat. 

EMARAATY ANA placed in various Group 1 events last season, is a Group 1 winner himself and has placed in the last two renewals of the Nunthorpe at this course. He ran a screamer when second in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on his final start and is weighted to reverse Nunthorpe form with the former. Kevin Ryan’s charge is over-priced. 

Leg 4 Selections: Infinite Cosmos, Novakai

This race should provide plenty of clues for the Epsom Oaks and one of the leading fancies for Epsom is the favourite for this race, INFINITE COSMOS, who is trained by Sir Michael Stoute. I was impressed with her run in defeat on debut when second behind Sea Of Roses, who had the benefit of track position and experience. 

This filly only found her stride inside the final furlong and would have beaten the winner in another couple of yards as she produced a late surge to only be beaten a short-head. She improved over the winter break to shed her maiden tag in good style at Newmarket on the Guineas Festival weekend. She has more to come and could be tough to beat in this higher grade race. 

Karl Burke’s NOVAKAI has seemingly been overlooked in the betting though, who sets the standard on her close-up second in the Group 1 bet365 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket. She won on her debut last July, so clearly goes well fresh and is rated 113. She could have even more to come over this longer distance and is a really solid place pick for her in-form handler. 

Leg 5 Selections: Chuzzlewit, Ramazan

I have waited for connections to pitch CHUZZLEWIT into a handicap and Kevin Ryan does just that here. He was a beaten favourite on debut at Beverley but caught the eye in fifth and shaped well in the Group 2 Gimcrack at this course last year when seventh on just his second ever start.

He scrambled home at Ayr next time but won with more in hand than the winning margin indicated and warmed up for this with a staying-on fifth in the Listed Burradon Stakes at Newcastle. The third finished fourth in the 2000 Guineas, while the fourth went close in a Listed race too. 

This three-year-old will have come on plenty for that run and this is easier. A mark of 95 has majorly underestimated his chances and I am quite surprised he isn’t towards the top of the market let alone trading at double-figure odds. 

I will play a cover pick in the form of RAMAZAN as well, who was only beaten a length in the Goffs Million in Ireland behind Galeron, and the winner subsequently finished fourth in the 2000 Guineas. He ran well behind Streets Of Gold here last year in fifth, so is another with course experience and is a leading contender. 

Leg 6 Selections: Mashadi, Mon Na Slieve

MASHADI was practically a sitting duck for On Point on debut at Newmarket but he stuck to the task well once headed and was only beaten a head at the line. That experience will have done him the world of good and he has plenty more to come, so he his fancied to put that experience to good use and go one place better. 

MON NA SLIEVE has a nice pedigree and Kevin Ryan is no stranger to readying a newcomer. I can envisage this two-year-old developing into a nice sort for connections and could have been found an easier opportunity elsewhere. His trainer has a good record at this course, so he deserves plenty of respect on debut in the deep waters in this race.