RACING expert Graeme Johnston (@GraemeJ_83) has been in the money recently and has taken a look at the best plays for Saturday's action from Ascot and Newmarket.
1:50 Ascot | Duke Of Edinburgh's Award Rous Stakes | ITV
The Duke of Edinburgh Awards Rous Stakes is a listed race over five furlongs and sees plenty of experienced sprinters line-up.
The market is headed by Spring Loaded (7/2 Bet365) and I expect him to be hard to beat.
He met trouble in running in the Wokingham here earlier in the season and followed that up with a convincing win over course and distance in July. His two runs since have been in top handicaps where he's run well despite things not dropping right.
There will be a fast pace for him to chase down and I think he can gain his first listed win in the Ascot opener.
3:00 Ascot | John Guest Racing Bengough Stakes | ITV
A six furlong Group 3 and a race full of proven sprinters who can, as we expect with sprinters, be frustrating.
None more so than the favourite Limato (5/2 Ladbrokes). He should be hard to beat but with rain forecast he wouldn't be my selection on softer ground, and I'm backing one who I'm sure will win a big race soon.
Dream Of Dreams (11/2 Ladbrokes) is yet to win this season, however he is getting closer all the time.
The faster they go the better for him and if the rain arrives in time this stiff six furlongs on soft-ish ground is probably his optimum conditions. He doesn't have much to find to win this and I'm backing him each-way.
3:15 Newmarket | Kingdom Of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes | ITV
The Sun Chariot is one of the highlights of the fillies year and it's been robbed of its main attraction with the retirement of Alpha Centauri.
However we still have her conqueror Laurens (7/2 Betfair) lining up looking for her fifth Group one, but I suspect she may be vulnerable to one of the field over this trip.
Wind Chimes (9/4 Bet365) is a filly well and truly on the up and this looks like the perfect opportunity for her to win her first Group 1.
A comfortable winner of a Group 3 at Longchamp in August, she went agonisingly close to landing a Group 1 last month when she was caught close home by Recoletos. She had some top milers behind her that day and this looks an easier challenge here.
I expect her to win.
Best Bets
1:50 Ascot – Spring Loaded to win (7/2 Bet365)
3:00 Ascot – Dream Of Dreams each-way (11/2 Ladbrokes)
3:15 Newmarket – Wind Chimes to win (9/4 Bet365)
