Friday 3rd October 2025
Ascot Selections
Kicking things off at Ascot on Friday will be the 2.20, and this is a Class 4 Amateur Jockey’s Handicap over seven furlongs. I quite like the chances of Dannick here for Gary & Josh Moore, who’s set to be ridden by five-pound claimer Jude Fernandes. He comes into the contest still a maiden; however, he’s been knocking on the door lately among handicap company, most recently, finishing half of a length second of twelve over course and distance. He’ll effectively contest his particular affair off a four-pound lower mark than his run here last time, when you take the rider’s claim into consideration, and that has to make him a significant threat to all.
The second race of the afternoon is the 2:55, a Class 3 Handicap contested over a distance of two miles. I like Good Show here for the team of Andrew Balding and Rob Hornby. He returned from a two-year layoff this summer and has run with credit in each of his two starts so far. Most recently, he finished eighth at Doncaster in a competitive Class 2 handicap over fourteen and half of a furlong; however, he was keeping on in the closing stages. I think this step up to two miles could be what he’s after, and he’s four pounds below his last winning mark.
Next up is the 3:30, and this is a Class 3 Novice event, which will be ridden over a mile and four furlongs. As is the case with races of this nature, there could be vast improvement to come from several of these; however, I think it could be worth taking a chance on Military Cross for John & Thady Gosden, and they’ve acquired the eye-catching jockey booking of Colin Keane. The three-year-old Nathaniel colt made a very encouraging start to life when a head second to the promising Port Of London at Kempton last month, and he should naturally build on that effort here. He gets weight from several of his rivals here, and he looks like a big player.
The feature race of the day comes up at 4.05 and this is the Listed Noel Murless Stakes over a mile and six furlongs. The most solid-looking option appears to be Arabian Force here, and he represents the team of William Haggas and Tom Marquand. He won back-to-back novice races in the Spring, and has since gone on to contest pattern company. He was a nose second in Listed company at Hamilton on his penultimate start, before finishing third of seven and a length behind Pride Of Arras in the Group 2 Great Voltigeur at York most recently. That was his best effort to date, and a repeat of that level of form should be enough to go extremely close in this.
We move on to the penultimate race of the afternoon now, and this is the 4.40 and a Class 2 Handicap over six furlongs. I’m taking a chance on the Michael & David Easterby trained Sondad here, who’s the mount of Joanna Mason. He won a Class 3 handicap over course and distance back in July off just a two-pound lower mark, and most recently finished a length and three-quarters second in the Ayr Silver Cup behind Candy a couple of weeks ago. He’s only been nudged up a pound for that fine effort, and these are calmer waters. If he turns up in the same form, there’s nothing to suggest that he can’t play a very meaningful role.
Closing off the card at Ascot on Friday will be the 5.15, and we have a Class 3 Classified Stakes over the straight mile. William Haggas looks to have another very live chance here in the form of Wujjood, who’s also the ride of Tom Marquand. She looks like a progressive three-year-old, as she won a Class 2 novice event at Pontefract back in June and wasn’t disgraced when finishing fifth in the Listed Upavon Fillies’ Stakes at Salisbury in August, and that was her most recent outing. She’s had her sights lowered here, and it would be disappointing should she not post a serious bid in a race of this nature.
2.20: Dannick- 8/1 (Each-Way)
2.55: Good Show – 5/1 (Each-Way)
3.30: Military Cross – 9/4 (Win)
4.05: Arabian Force – 5/4 (Win) (NAP)
4.40: Sondad – 6/1 (Each-Way)
5.15: Wujjood – 3/1 (Win) (NB)