Racehorses which catch the eye finishing fast after finding some trouble in running have been paying the school fees for bookies’ offspring for generations. A few are genuinely unlucky. Rather more prove to be serial losers, horses that have some talent but not quite enough to get their head in front.
With that wealth warning out of the way, however, Archie (3.30) deserves close attention at Haydock this afternoon.
At first sight, he looks very much like a horse who has forgotten how to win, having failed to hit the target in 14 starts since his successful juvenile debut for Clive Cox in June 2014. His five runs this year since joining Tom Clover’s stable over the winter have also been mixed, to say the least. Last of nine on his debut for the stable, he then ran third of seven at Yarmouth but has since finished fifth (of six), eighth (of nine) and then seventh in a big field at Newbury last time out.
His handicap mark has been dropping all the while, though, and his latest performance was – visually at least – better than it looks on paper. Archie started his run from a long way off the pace, and had to switch several times on his way through the field before finishing within four lengths of the winner. The time of the race was strong, the fourth horse home was a good second next time up and Archie is now running off a mark in the 70s for the first time in his life having started the season on 87. Jamie Spencer looks like an ideal booking to deliver him late, and 6-1 is a fair price for the the five-year-old to finally snap his losing run.
Elsewhere on the Haydock card, Azari (4.35) should follow up a career-best performance last time out in the 12-furlong handicap while Donjuan Triumphant ran his best race of the season to finish ninth in the Stewards’ Cup last time out and has plenty of form at today’s seven-furlong trip that gives him every chance.
Special Purpose (3.50) was up against potential Classic fillies in the Lowther Stakes last time out and should return to winning way when she drops in class for the Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes at Salisbury, while Tomorrow Mystery (4.50), on the same card, and Hidden Stash (6.40) at Chelmsford this evening should also go well at fair prices.
Thursday’s tips
Haydock Park 2.00 Line Of Beauty 2.30 Ginbar 3.00 Global Conqueror 3.30 Archie (nap) 4.00 Donjuan Triumphant 4.35 Azari (nb) 5.05 Diamonds A Dancing
Salisbury 1.50 Nuits St Georges 2.20Dandiesque 2.5 Blanchefleur 3.20 Clairette 3.50 Special Purpose 4.20 Under The Covers 4.50 Tomorrow Mystery 5.20 Ashazuri
Sedgefield 2.10 Runasimi River 2.40 My Renaissance 3.10 Mont Choisy 3.40 Rough Justice 4.10 Gibson Park 4.40 Aristocracy 5.10 Nemean Lion
Chelmsford City 5.40 Gold Filigree 6.10 Dream Of Delphi 6.40 Hidden Stash 7.10 Cloud Nine 7.40 Jufn 8.10 Maghfoor 8.40 Newstead Abbey 9.10 Airway
