St Leger Festival Tips: Saturday Racing Tips from Architect

The Portland is an ultra-competitive sprint handicap with a host of good-quality horses in with chances. At the time of writing, King’s Lynn has attracted plenty of support given his good record here, but if he’s second favourite then there’s no way on this planet that top-weight ANNAF (best price 16/1) should be the huge price he is, whose got the class and form to go very well now having his sights lowered. 

This four-year-old all-weather specialist has proven this year that he can also run to a high level on the turf, with the best of those efforts coming when third in the Group 1 King's Stand at Royal Ascot.

His hold-up style of racing can often create himself to be a hostage to fortune though, as proven when fourth in the Group 3 Coral Charge at Sandown, where he didn’t get a smooth run but he came through strongly to take fourth and nearly snatched third. 

He wasn’t in the same form the next twice but was far from discredited when seventh of 16 back in Group 1 company last-time-out in the Sprint Cup at Haydock, which is a key piece of form. Held up towards the rear, it soon became apparent he was ready to unleash a burst of speed when he the last horse off the bridle over a furlong out, but he had no room to manoeuvre and was forced to sit and suffer under what must have been a frustrated Alistair Rawlinson at the time. 

When he was finally allowed to hit full throttle, he was then snatched up by Run To Freedom, but picked up well again afterwards to be nearest the finish.

Upon reflection, It was clear to see that he remains a horse at the top of his game this year and, back in a handicap for the first time since winning at the turn of the year, with conditions drying all the time as well, Mick Appleby’s top-weight can give a good account of himself with six places generally available via Bet365, WilliamHill, PaddyPower, Betfair and Betfred.

Adrian Nicholls’ TEES SPIRIT (best price 14/1) was in superb form last year, winning five times in total, and after going a while in the dark, he returned to form with a good second last-time-out when beaten under a length and could be set to run another big race back at a course that has previously served him well. 

His latest showing can be upgraded to even higher recognition, as he was badly hampered coming out of the gates by a horse when he nearly wiped him out, but recovered instantly and kept on well in the closing stages to only find the classy top-weight Raasel too strong, who had the race run to suit. The drying ground here will also be up his street.

His last win came in a Listed event in Ireland, beating Moss Tucker and the latter subsequently landed the Group 1 Flying Childers, so the form is solid.

Drawn well in stall 22 down the stands-rail in which he is likely to go forward, he could be in the shake-up from an unchanged mark with his course record reading 2321 and six places on offer through Bet365, WilliamHill, PaddyPower, Betfair and Betfred.

There was plenty to like about the comeback effort of SYMBOL OF LIGHT (best price 4/1) when an unlucky, close-up fourth on stable debut for Julie Camacho at Newcastle and, with that highly-promising return under his belt, this progressive four-year-old can make up for lost time and carry the burden of top-weight to success on just his second turf start against rivals who all ran below form last time. 

Previously trained by Charlie Appleby, he shaped with the highest of encouragement when third on debut at Newmarket before winning his next three starts on the all-weather very comfortably. He wasn’t seen again for 15 months but appeared as though he retained all of his ability on his stable/seasonal debut in August following a wind operation when a neck fourth and is left on the same mark here. 

He has predominantly been kept to about a mile but having only been beaten a neck last time, where again, similar to his previous efforts, he hit the line with a good deal of purpose, this step up in trip could unlock further progress. 

I would have him near favourite as both the first and second favourites were heavily beaten last time and I can only assume the bookmakers have made a mistake in terms of the odds. 

In the Hippo Pro 3 Sealant Handicap, the Karl Burke-trained LIBERTY LANE (best price 6/1) must have a leading chance from an essential 1Ib lower mark than when a two-length fourth in a competitive race behind Dutch Decoy last time and being open to further improvement. 

An impressive five-length winner on debut at Nottingham, he lost little in defeat when second to subsequent Group 3 Hampton Court winner Waipiro next time out, conceding 7Ib to the winner, and was then deemed good enough to contest the Group 2 Gimcrack. 

That failed to materialise with reward as he could only finish seventh but he did run well for a long way from the front. His effort in the Golden Gates next time can be marked up as he travelled like the winner but didn’t get home after racing keenly throughout. 

The same happened again at Newmarket last time when he mostly raced keenly but he was only beaten a couple of lengths and, if he does learn to settle, especially here, it’s highly likely he has even bigger performance in him and can be backed, each-way, with four places available. 

LA TRINIDAD (best price 12/1) has gained all of his wins on a fast surface but the six-year-old does handle any ground really, and this dual course winner must hold solid each-way claims with up to five places available having been in great form this year. 

It was only back in August that he returned an extremely easy winner over course-and-distance, where he cruised into contention and powered to victory under today’s rider, Jonny Peate, to score by nearly five lengths, which provided indication that he is at the top of his game. 

He hasn’t been seen to best effect in two subsequent starts though, including last time in the Clipper Handicap when ninth of 19, as he was denied a clear run on multiple occasions but kept on strongly between horses to be nearest the finish under hands and heels. 

Dropped 1Ib ahead of this race, back at a course he likes, his customary late charge should come into serious play if he gets a better passage this time around and he has placed off similar marks in the past too, so his revised mark isn’t beyond him. At value odds, he merits each-way consideration.