Friday Horse racing tips for Ascot and York: Three picks for today’s action

Every racing fan has something to look forward to on Friday and there are plenty of meetings to sink our teeth into, with no fewer than eight across Britain and Ireland across the day.

We have Listed action on offer at Ascot in the afternoon and York in the evening, with further meetings taking place at Uttoxeter, Thirsk, Cork, Kilbeggan, Sandown and Chepstow.

Our expert has gone through Friday’s racing with a fine-toothed comb and picked out three strong fancies who look well set to come out on top in their respective races. Amongst them is a Charlie Appleby runner in York’s main event, who brings a high level of form to the table.

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Friday horse racing tips

• 14:55 Ascot – Treasurer @ 10/1
• 16:05 Ascot – Al Azd @ 11/10
• 19:50 York – Diamond Rain @ 8/13

14:55 Ascot – Treasurer @ 10/1

The first of the day’s two Listed contests is the Pat Eddery Stakes at Ascot in the afternoon and a field of 13 has been declared. It has been a tumultuous week for the Amo Racing operation, but they could be set to land a winner here with TREASURER.

Charlie Fellowes’ colt ran into traffic when finishing fourth on debut at Nottingham and kept on well in eye-catching fashion that day. Connections threw him in the deep end after that, but he wasn’t disgraced when finishing 12th in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Dropped in grade next time, he managed to get off the mark in a Class 2 novice at Salisbury last month, producing a very professional display to score by just over a length. The step up to 7f is likely to suit and it would be no surprise to see him follow up in Listed company.

16:05 Ascot – Al Azd @ 11/10

Roger Varian is yet to have a winner at Ascot this season, drawing a blank from his 13 previous runners, but AL AZD was half-a-length away from coming out on top in the thoroughly competitive King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.

It would be no surprise to see him get his head in front in this slightly easier race on the evidence of that performance. The handicapper has responded with a rather significant rise of 8lb for finishing second, which seems a bit harsh, but further progress can’t be ruled out.

Winning his first start over 1m4f impressively at Doncaster in April, he wasn’t suited by the drop back in trip in the London Gold Cup at Newbury after that. Clearly 1m4f brings out the best in this son of Dubawi and a return to winning ways could well be on the cards.

19:50 York – Diamond Rain @ 8/13

Charlie Appleby is the trainer to follow in the summer months and his runner DIAMOND RAIN immediately showed potential as a three-year-old, landing an Ascot novice over a mile on debut, before scoring at Listed level over 1m2f at Newbury on just her second start.

The rest of that season didn’t go to plan but she bounced back to win a Listed contest at Haydock on her first start as a four-year-old. Producing a career best next time, she landed a Group 3 at Newcastle last summer. Although it wasn’t the deepest of races for the grade.

She ran well to finish second by a narrow margin in the Grade 1 E P Taylor Stakes at Woodbine and was then third in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Appleby’s mare was a short head away from winning at Newcastle last time out and a similar effort will be enough.

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