Horse Racing Tips: Candle to burn bright in Friday 8/1 double

• First selection looks solid under a penalty

• Trainer and jockey stats 25% at Ascot

• Two picks for Friday at 13/82.63 and 9/43.25

Haydock - 14:00: Back Raqiya

Sapphire Seas was a most impressive winner yesterday, tipped at 11/43.75 but returned a BSP of 5.85/1, although Miaharris ran flat for Owen Burrows - but I am hoping the trainer can fire in with Raqiya at Haydock.

Raqiya carries a penalty for this 6f Novice and couldn't have been more impressive in scoring at Salisbury last time from the front. She displayed bags of speed early on and only required one tap at the end under Jim Crowley and was merely pushed out.

The ground on that occasion was good and she clocked in a good time that day in comparison to the second division.

I liked her effort at Newbury too, running on late after a slow start and stayed on well on the stands' side.

Burrows was highlighted in the column yesterday as having a good season with his 2yos, and he has an overall 24% strike-rate at Haydock in the last five seasons.

Ascot - 14:25: Back Olympic Candle

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor wouldn't have too many 2yo winners first-time out these days, nor many juvenile winners on the whole, but he's had one on the turf this season with four places and Olympic Candle should take a bit of beating judged on his debut effort three weeks ago.

Dancing Gemini won that race, and had some fair form in the book to land that Newbury Maiden, as had previously appeared at Royal Ascot.

Olympic Candle was allowed to go off at 20/121.00 and did hit 3s in-running and certainly travelled better inside the final 2f than the eventual winner.

He did look green without any cover near side, but he never stopped running to the line and put plenty of daylight to the rest behind.

The 2yo appeared also to have more of a good ground action, and I doubt the soft conditions that day at Newbury would have suited him.

Bin Suroor and Oisin Murphy have a 25% strike-rate at Ascot when they team up together to add further lustre to the bet and should justify his 9/43.25 price.

*Click here for Daryl Carter's Friday tips