The Bookies Enemy

I don't want to sound all 'coulda woulda shoulda' but what do we need to do to bag a winner?

As if three unlucky losers on day 1 wasn't enough?! Two 2nds and a 4th today with our other 2pter 'Post Impressionist' clipping heels/hampered at the rear of the field TWICE, which got him lit up and racing keenly, which isn't what you want when stepping him up 2f in trip!

Mojo Star ran a cracker in 2nd but why oh why wasn't proven stayer Burning Victory given a more prominent ride? Travelling like a dream in rear and last off the bridle, it was never going to be easy to make up ground from the rear off the steady tempo. A filly that's made all the running 4 times in the past and once over slightly longer than this on testing ground, surely the correct ploy was to try and make all and burn the finishes out of her rivals????

Two placed in the last so no complaints there.

We dust off and move on.

2:30 Ascot, Elevina - 0.5pt e/w @34 generally (4 places)

Looked good when winning on debut, showing great tenacity to outbattle the second and was never stronger than at the finish. She will have learned plenty for the debut effort and although needing to improve plenty to win this, she's a daughter of 'Dark Angel' and just looks as though a bigger test will suit. She's 33/1 and looks good value to improve on that debut run.

3:05 Ascot, Hala Hala Athmani 0.5pts e/w @67 generally (5 places)

Lots of risks associated with this bet as she's retuning form a break, having her first run at three, plus she's got loads to do on the figures against some already proven colts. But she's a half-sister to the smart 'Hello Youmzain' who's also trained by Kevin Ryan, and performed even better than him on her first two outings, well-backed before winning impressively at Carlisle (like HY) and then finishing third in an albeit moderate Ayr group 3. She's not been seen since that race, but if she's anything like her half-brother then she might be best when fresh from a break (form figures fresh 1411 and the 4th was his only try over 7f) and despite apparently having a mountain to climb to win this group 1, fillies' have won two of the seven running's of this race, plus half-brother HY returned from a 245 day break to with the Diamond Jubilee here in 2020. Kevin Ryan has had just two runners in this race which was the afore mentioned Hello Youmzain who finished 3rd in 2019, and the year before he had the 5th with 'Hey Jonesy' at 40/1 which bodes well, and given the fact that he could pick many an easier race to return HHA, at huge odds I'm happy to have a bet that she's trained on and ready to roll on her return under Wil Buick who's currently joint top in the Ascot top jockeys table.

5:00 Ascot, King's Joy - 1pt e/w @21 generally (6 places)

The pace looks quite evenly split in tomorrow's race so there's no telling where the best part of the track might be. There never looked any particular track bias today or yesterday so I'm going to back two in the low numbers with the potential of them coming down the middle/far side or splitting into two groups.

King's Joy has run well in each of her three starts and looks to be progressing well after winning her debut at Lingfield, before running well in third behind a couple of useful fillies', the winner of which lines up for tomorrow's group 1 Coronation Stakes and is currently 12/1 and the 2nd running well in a listed race on her next start and now rated 100. She did all but win at Kempton last time fighting back well when challenged and shaped as the a strongly run mile might suit. She should get that tomorrow and although a low draw could scupper her chances depending on how they split, she looks far too well handicapped off a mark of 89 to resist, being a John Gosden trained daughter of 'Kingman'.

5:00 Ascot, Discretion - 1pt e/w @19 generally (6 places)

A 'Dubawi' filly that's won two of her 4 races and although not winning by much, I still don't think that she's had her ideal conditions. She ran well on debut at Salisbury and then improved on that run to finish 4th in a good-looking Newbury novice behind a now rated 100 winner. She managed to hold on after making all at Beverley over 1m 2f on her penultimate start, and then last time at Carlisle I thought the winning margin should have been much further as she lost focus and hung badly left when hitting the front. This strongly run mile should suit her style and if keeping straight I think she could run a big race also.

6:10 Ascot, Bond Chairman - 1pt e/w @26 generally (6 places)

I watched a lot of this fella at two last year and he looked a good sprinter in the making after winning his debut and then running a couple of big races in pattern company including here when finishing 4th behind a few nice types in a race that produced very good numbers. His form tailed off somewhat towards the tail end of last year but he had excuses in that one was a group 3 and other was on soft ground. He returns fresh tomorrow after being gelded and with ideal conditions to run a big race running in a handicap for the first time. I think he can go well if ready to roll.

Early bet for Saturday

2:30 Ascot, Honiton 1pt win @8.5 generally