St Leger Festival Tips: Friday Racing Tips from Architect

Trainer Ralph Beckett won this race three years ago with New Mandate and his only representative in this year’s race, KINGDOM OF RICHES (best price 12/1) is an appealing proposition from an each-way standpoint. 

I am under no illusion that this is a wide-open heat as it features nine last-time-out winners but this son of Acclamation ran well when second to Indian Run at Ascot on debut and the winner franked the form by winning a Group 3 next-time-out. 

The form of his easy win at Leicester next time has been let down by the beaten horses, but he did score by two and a quarter lengths in a good time-figure from the front, where he was eased down in the closing stages and should have a lot more in the tank. 

He is upped in grade, on softer ground, but he is well-regarded and holds a Group 2 entry. His debut second to Indian Run is the piece best of form on offer on my view and, with improvement on the card, he could be set to play a leading role.

INQUISITIVELY (best price 13/2) was two places behind Big Evs when third in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot and while it remains to be seen whether he can contend with a softer surface, he returned a comfortable winner of a Listed event last-time-out on stable debut and is open to further progress. 

William Buick is retained to ride, which is a positive sign, and this course should suit this prominent-racer. He is a smart prospect and is a notable danger to all his rivals in this field. He must have an excellent chance if he can repeat the dose of that performance in this race. Four places widely on offer. 

I am also drawn to the claims of Brian Meehan’s TOCA MADERA (best price 25/1) in the Flying Childers who has hit the frame in a pair of Group 2 events the last twice over six furlongs, showing plenty of speed in each race and was only a head behind Lake Forest at Newmarket when third, who subsequently landed the Group 2 Gimcrack in taking fashion.  

His third behind subsequent Group 1 winner Vandeeek last time at Goodwood on soft ground is also classy form. The only time he has finished out of the frame was when down the field in the Norfolk, but the drop in trip should suit and he isn’t a million miles away on ratings. With his form continuously being upheld, he could outrun his double-figure odds with four places widely available. 

The Group 2 Doncaster Cup is the main event and I am all over TRUESHAN (best price 7/2) for this year’s renewal. Alan King’s top-class stayer was marginally denied by Coltrane in the race last year but the combination of soft conditions and a 3Ib pull in the weights coupled with a lighter campaign can see the seven-year-old take revenge and come out on top. 

Despite being turned over twice this year at short odds, he is still on an equal-foot rating with Andrew Balding’s charge at 117 and it is possible the recent wind surgery could bring about improvement. I have no doubt he is the best horse in the field and will arrive into the race a fresher horse than the favourite, who has had some gruelling races in recent months, which might leave a mark

The Andrew Balding-trained THE GOAT (best price 2/1) is eligible to compete in this race off the same mark of 93 as when a never-nearer sixth in the Melrose last-time-out. 

Being the only three-year-old in the line-up, he is in receipt of 3Ib and more in weight from all of his rivals with conditions up his street. Before his latest start, he was only a nose behind Middle Earth at Kempton. 
That form that is seriously strong plus Oisin Murphy will keep the partnership intact. He has so much in his favour that he has to be nominated as a win bet here and will be difficult to beat. 

LEGENDARY DAY (best price 18/1) is a standout each-way shout though, who has some very good form, notably his latest third at York, as well as his fourth in the Northumberland Vase at Newcastle under a big weight. 

He was only half-a-length behind Bague D’Or when getting 4Ib from the latter at the Ebor Festival last time but will get 8Ib this time, so there’s every indication that he could reverse the form here under these conditions. 

The return to the longer trip is beneficial and Mark Winn takes off 3Ib as well. His appraisal profile for this contest marks him down as a leading contender and definite bet at the morning odds. I really like his odds, each-way. 

Ralph Beckett runs two in this race with preference for recent easy Goodwood winner and consistent CHERRY (best price 13/8), the mount of Ryan Moore, whose mark looks lenient on the back of her demolition job last-time-out where she won by more than six lengths.

Beforehand, she had made the frame in all four starts and it is clear she is very effective when there’s juice in the ground. That latest win will have done her confidence the world of good and she is strongly fancied to kick on from that now and make a successful handicap debut.

TACTICAL (best price 10/1) was the classiest horse of these in his youth and although he hasn’t won for more than a year, he has left the impression on more than one occasion this year that his turn might again be near and is the bet with four places widely available. 

He is now rated 9Ib lower than when fifth of 10 in  a Listed event over track and trip on his return and ran a really eye-catching race at York’s Ebor Festival last time in the Sky Bet Constantine Handicap when 10th of 17 which suggested he could be returning to form. 

If you watch the replay of that race, he was one of the last horses off the bridle but after meeting severe traffic issues, he couldn’t get out when he needed to. Once he found daylight though, he hit the line strongly and the assessor has kindly reduced his mark by a further 3Ib. 

More interestingly, Tom Marquand has been booked to ride again, and this talented horse is down to a new career-low mark. He is going to need luck in running but hopefully lightning won’t strike twice like last time, so if he gets a clear run, he has the class to feature heavily in the outcome. 

In the last race, the Hippo Clean Edge Masking Tape Confined Nursery, DAPPERLING (best price 11/1) is the one I want to side with despite her dismal effort at York when last spotted. 

For whatever reason she failed to show her true colours but she’s better than that and proved that in the Super Sprint at Newbury when runner-up, only finding Relief Rally too good. 

That is the singular best price of form ahead of this contest and her penultimate fourth at Goodwood on soft ground, where she kicked a touch unlucky in the interim, has worked out well. 

The second, Juniper Berries, and fifth, Tropical Island, have both won since and this filly looks well-handicapped off a mark of 83 and that’s without Alec Voikhansky’s 3Ib claim taken into account.  

This is an enormous ease in grade from her last three starts and conditions will hold no fears either. She is wildly overpriced and can be backed accordingly each-way at generous odds.