Saturday Racing Tips from Architect

The Chesham Stakes is a difficult-looking race on paper but I intend to stick with the Irish, who could just hold the edge here. Pearls And Rubies has been well-found in the betting and instead, the Gavin Cromwell-trained SNELLEN (best price 11/1) could be a decent each-way shout with four places available. 

She had impressed at Naas in a barrier trial, clocking a useful time, with the form working out well before making her debut at Limerick 10 days ago, where she would have won by further without looking a touch inexperienced when she decided to veer left. Still, she found another gear to quicken again and justified her strong support in the market. 

This is obviously tougher but she’s promising and it’s possible she will find the requisite improvement. Her sire won at Royal Ascot, so she is bred to be effective at this course and conditions should suit. She is ideally drawn in stall 13 and makes plenty of sense from an each-way perspective. 

I’ll also make an each-way case for another Irish debutant winner NEMONTE (best price 20/1) who is a shade overpriced given she won with a bit up her sleeve at the Curragh and her trainer enjoyed success here yesterday. 

It was a large-field maiden she contested on debut and after travelling well, she knuckled down well under pressure and produced a late burst of speed to get up in the last few strides and win going away, looking better the further she went. 

That form has yet to be truly tested but I liked her performance and she is sure to find more now tackling this longer distance, which should bring about improvement, as it should allow her to hit top gear at the right time. Four places widely available. 

The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes has attracted a host of quality sprinters from around the world but surely the price about ROHAAN (best price 10/1) is just too juicy to pass over, as he bids to win at the Royal meeting for a third consecutive year. 

This five-time course-and-distance winner was well-held on his reappearance at Salisbury but predominantly needs his first run of the season and that should have put him spot on for this assignment. He has won the highly-competitive Wokingham Handicap at this meeting for the last two years, including twelve months ago when carrying top-weight to success. 

He was also third in the Sprint Cup, fourth in the Champions Sprint Stakes over track and trip and an unlucky fourth in the Arc Prix Maurice de Gheest last year when partnered by Adam Kirby, as he was stopped in his tracks at the back of the field before charging late. 

His track-record is phenomenal and he will get a strong pace to aim at in this contest as a few of these ensure us of no hiding place. I can envisage him travelling powerfully into the contest and if he can spy his way through the field, this could be the time he gets his Group 1 success. A great each-way bet with four places on offer. 

I’ll also have an each-way nibble on the speedy ART POWER (best price 22/1) who showed a resurgence in form when scoring in the Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh for the third consecutive year last-time-out and runs this course very well, which will stand him good health as he bids to land a maiden Group 1 success. 

This is his time of year as his three runs in June have resulted with two wins and a third and that third came in this very race two years ago on ground that was soft enough for him, while his win at the Royal meeting three years ago also reads well. He was only collared late on into the race having cut out the early fractions and looking as though he had most of his opposition in a few difficulties. 

He stepped up markedly from his reappearance at York to turn in a career-best last-time-out and it was clear Oisin Murphy, who rode him, got a fine tune out of this talented sprinter. He was also a good fourth in the British Champions Sprint Stakes in 2021 and eighth last year. I think he’s got a super each-way chance at double-figure odds with four places widely available. 

The form of Free Wind’s success on her return was boosted by the runner-up Rogue Millennium scoring here this week and she has an obvious chance. However, she will need to be at her best to beat DEAUVILLE LEGEND (best price 13/2) who is rated a pound higher and improving through the ranks. He was last seen finishing a good fourth in the Melbourne Cup. 

He won the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket, as well as the Group 2 Great Voltigeur at York. He should improve this year, won his reappearance last term and arrives back on the back of an excellent effort in Australia. He went close at this meeting last year in the King George V Stakes and has improved so much since, so he could be ready to run a huge race. 

An excellent renewal of the Wokingham Handicap with plenty of value to be taken. JUAN LES PINS (best price 16/1) should be well-served by this stiff six furlongs and his third in the Ayr Gold Cup last year is a decent piece of form. 

Mick Appleby’s winning machine stayed on strongly from off the pace to win at Nottingham last week and connections are keen to roll the dice with him in this contest. He is drawn well in 23 and despite being penalised for that latest success, he is clearly back at the top of his game. 

I like his profile for this contest, as everything about this race should see him to best effect. I know he has no course form but he is a very capable sprinter when all goes his way, so with most bookmakers offering six places, this six-year-old is fancied to run a big race.

KING’S LYNN (best price 20/1) must have a big each-way chance, as he’s one of the classiest horses in the race and the booking of Harry Davies suggests connections mean business with this capable sprinter, who warmed up for this with a fine second at Chester last-time-out.

He has bags of high-class course form, who has finished seventh of 16 in the Group 1 King’s Stand the last two years at this meeting, being nearest the finish in each contest and was also an unlucky third of 21 in this race two years ago, where he didn’t get a clear passage but stayed on strongly behind Fresh and Rohaan. 

He is much higher in the handicap now but he’s improved buckets since and even claimed the Group 2 Temple Stakes last year. He is favoured by these conditions and that latest second was his first run in a handicap since his third in this two years ago, as he has been highly tried on a regular basis. 

If you take Harry Davies' claim into account, he is technically three pounds lower than last time and brings quality form into the race. He is a group horse running in a handicap and I reckon this has been the plan for a while. Most bookmakers are going six places and that is more than fair. If the low draw doesn’t inconvenience him, I think he’s got a great chance of hitting the frame at the very least. 

A third and final pick in the race given the six places on offer is DUCA DI COMO (best price 40/1) a Norwegian sprinter, who has seemingly been overlooked in the betting and offers fair value at his large price tag with a chance of outperforming his odds with six places on offer. 

For a sprinter, he has an excellent strike-rate, winning 21 of his 34 starts, which includes multiple wins at Listed/Group level in his own country for connections. This will be his first run over six furlongs in a long time but connections have undeniably had this race mapped out for him and the combination of a high draw and assured stamina will serve him well. 

HAVE SECRET (best price 14/1) ran a huge race on his return when fourth in the London Gold Cup and that form has worked out well with the second and third placing in the Hampton Court this week, while the winner finished third in the King George V Stakes this week too. He gets a strong each-way vote with five places widely available. 

Richard Fahey’s charge was right in the mix with the three in front of him at Newbury and fared much the best of those drawn low plus he was only beaten a length as well. The first, second and third in that race were all drawn in double-digits, so it was an excellent effort in defeat and he will strip a lot fitter here. 

A two pound rise seems lenient and he has a good slot in stall two. There is a lot to like about his chances and I am really surprised he isn’t pushing for favouritism as that latest form is amongst the best on offer. A good pace will suit and I am quite optimistic he has the ingredients to go very close should he repeat that performance in this race.