Friday 24th July 2026
I’ve got a couple that I like the look of at Ascot on Friday, and the first of these comes within the 4.05, which is a Class 2 handicap that’s contested over a mile and four furlongs, with nine runners going to post for £45,000.
I think that Roger Varian could hold the key here with his progressive three-year-old AL AZD, who’s set to be ridden by Ray Dawson. This Dubawi gelding has been kept busy this year and has progressed markedly through the ranks. He won over today’s distance at Doncaster back in May, before perhaps finding ten furlongs too sharp next time out when finishing sixth in the London Gold Cup at Newbury. He soon put that effort behind him, though, with an excellent effort here at the Royal Meeting in June when finishing second of nineteen in the highly competitive King George V Stakes, just half a length behind Enceladus. He’s been raised eight pounds for that effort; however, he could still have plenty more to offer, and it’d be far from a big surprise if he posted a bold bid in this particular assignment.
Who are the dangers? The Owen Burrows-trained Merveilleux Lapin has to be in the equation here under Callum Rodriguez. She’s a four-year-old filly by Mohaather and has run well in both starts since joining the Burrows outfit. On her stable debut, she finished a head second of six at Windsor behind Serengeti in a Class 3 handicap, before running with credit in Listed company at Pontefract last time out, finishing fourth of nine. She’s without doubt a player back within the handicap ranks. A mention also has to be given to Theory Of Tides, who represents Jamie & Saffie Osbourne; he won back-to-back novice events a couple of years ago when trained by the Gosdens, and whilst he’s yet to win a handicap, he ran well on stable debut at Sandown earlier this month when finishing a length second of nine. He’s just a pound higher here, and can go well again if he takes another step forward on his second start for his new yard. Study Of Words needs to take a big step forward for Charlie Appleby, as he’s been disappointing since trying handicap company, going off a short-priced favourite in both of his runs this term, without being able to land a blow. That being said, he does still retain promise on the back of his useful maiden form, in particular his fifteen length succes at Newmarket in October.
Selection: Al Azd – (11/8) (Win) (NAP) – (4.05 Ascot)
1-2-3: Al Azd (11/8), Merveilleux Lapin (7/1), Theory Of Tides (7/1) – (4.05 Ascot)
My other selection on Friday from Ascot comes within the 4.40, where we have a Class 4 handicap, this time set to be ridden over a distance of seven furlongs. It could pay to side with one of the lesser-exposed types in the line-up here, and I like the chances of MR WRITER for James Fanshawe and Daniel Muscutt. He’s only a three-year-old, and should still have considerable scope for improvement, given that he’s only had four runs within handicap company to date. He also comes into the race in good form, having won two of his last three outings, including last time out where he gained a first handicap success at Leicester, keeping on well over today’s distance to get up by a neck. The handicapper has arguably been generous, giving him a four-pound rise for his Leicester success, and you’d like to think that he’ll continue to progress off today’s mark. He’s got every chance of following up.
Who are the dangers? There are several at the lower end of the market here who need to show significant improvement if they’re to feature at the business end. One who’s prominent in the betting who has to be mentioned is Havana Blue for Julie Camacho and Callum Rodriguez. He’s a gelding by Havana Grey who comes into the race off the back of an excellent second-placed effort in a seventeen-runner affair at Ascot earlier this month, finishing just a neck behind winner Lunario. He also remains four pounds below his last winning mark, and despite having to lump over ten stone around in this assignment, he’s still a big player. Another to note is Be Frank, for the combination of Ian Williams and Billy Loughnane. He made a slightly belated seasonal reappearance at Chester last month, in what was his first run since last September. He finished sixth on that occasion, and did his best work in the closing stages. It’s highly likely that he’ll take a big step forward following that outing, and could feature here off a pound lower mark.
Selection: Mr Writer – (4/1) (Win) (NB) – (4.40 Ascot)
1,2,3: Mr Writer (4/1), Havana Blue (9/2), Be Frank (11/2) – (4.40 Ascot)
