Thursday Sandown Placepot Tips from Architect

Leg 1 Selections: Silastar, Dark Island

A wide-open starter but Gary Moore is banging in the winners in recent weeks so SILASTAR, the mount of Ryan Moore, could take some beating having bolted up at Leicester when last seen, while Heather Main has an impressive 26% strike-rate at the course and her DARK ISLAND, her only runner on the card, could figure, too, with Rossa Ryan booked to ride. 

Leg 2 Selections: Blue Storm, Elite Status, Dapper Valley

This could prove to be a serious race with a view to the future given nine of the 10 intended runners won last-time-out, including seven winning debutants. I wouldn’t be surprised if any of these landed the spoils, so I’ll ride my luck with four picks and hope for the best. 

The James Tate-trained BLUE STORM is related to plenty of smart winners and displayed a lovely turn of foot when making a winning debut at Newmarket last month and that form is working out well, so he remains of interest. 

ELITE STATUS overcame testing ground and inexperience to make a winning debut at Doncaster and could be even better on better ground. DAPPER VALLEY also did the same on testing ground at Newbury, but was even more impressive, as he cruised into the lead and quickened away in the closing stages. He is very promising and could remain unbeaten. 

Leg 3 Selections: Nate The Great, Roberto Escobarr

Ian Williams’ Enemy is the short-price favourite and has Frankie on his back, so he’s sure to prove popular but he hasn’t won in the UK since April last year, which came at a lower level compared to this contest and his latest two showings haven’t been great either, so he might be worth taking on at the odds. 

Instead, NATE THE GREAT appeals as a more solid candidate, who was second in the race last year behind Quickthorn and has William Buck in the saddle. I’ll also play cover with ROBERTO ESCOBARR who is a decent stayer in his own right with plenty more to come and ran well on his return at Wolverhampton when third. 

Leg 4 Selections: Hukum, Desert Crown

The Brigadier Stakes has the ingredients to be a belter with the Coronation Cup winner and Derby winner going head-to-head. It is great to see HUKUM return after what was nearly a career-ending injury, who was brilliant in the Group 1 Coronation Cup when last seen at Epsom.

He travelled beautifully and showcased his devastating turn of foot to beat Pyledriver. It remains to be seen if he is the same horse he was before his injury but either way, his connections must be happy and he’s therefore a major player with conditions to suit, though this distance is undoubtedly short of his optimism. 

DESERT CROWN is the one to beat though, who tanked his way into the Derby before quickening up to win comfortably and is unbeaten in three starts. He hasn’t been seen since but the sky's the limit as to what he might achieve again this season, as he’s a high-class four-year-old and the one to beat, though again, he is also better over further. 

Leg 5 Selections: Yaanaas, Quantico

YAANAAS won a pair of all-weather contests prior to running a big race when second on his turf/handicap debut at Ascot. That experience will have taught him a lot, as he travelled well and was only beaten about a length. He surely has more to come and is seemingly a horse who can rank a lot higher. He is less-exposed than most and should go well. 

QUANTICO has a similar profile to the former, in which he won his first two starts and was then second to Yaanaas. He is three pounds better off with Roger Varian’s this time, so connections will fancy their chances of turning the tables here. Unlike the former though, he needs to prove he’s as effective on the turf but that’s possible, so it would seem logical to go with a pair of unexposed, progressive types. 

Leg 6 Selections: Prince Of Zenda, Dutch Kingdom

PRINCE OF ZENDA could be up to finally opening his account on his fifth start having made the frame in his first four. He was no match for Docklands when last seen on handicap/turf debut but he’s a son of Kingman, so better ground will suit. James Doyle takes the ride for the first time. 

DUTCH KINGDOM has displayed race-by-race progress and did well to beat a favourite at Kempton when last seen on his handicap debut, digging deep where it mattered most. He is another runner on the card who could benefit from the switch to the turf and this mark looks well within his compass, should he continue his run of form.