Friday Racing Tips: Andrew Asquith with a couple to back at Haydock and Newmarket

• Andrew Asquith has two selections on Friday

• Kamanika will relish return to testing conditions

• More to come from Ice Max with ground in his favour

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13:43 Haydock - Back Kamanika

The ground at Haydock is set to be testing, currently soft, heavy in places at the time of writing and, with that in mind, Kamanika in the opening Apprentices' Handicap over a mile and a quarter makes plenty of appeal.

She was a four-time winner last season, with three of those victories coming on ground that Timeform described as soft or heavy, and she hasn't had such conditions in two starts so far this year.

Kamanika shaped as though she was in need of the run on her return over a mile on the July Course at Newmarket in August, asked for her effort around three furlongs out but left behind by the principals soon after.

She shaped much better than the bare result back up to a mile and a quarter at Goodwood last time, though, tracking a sound pace and arguably asked to kick for home too early in the day.

Kamanika was only headed well inside the final furlong and lost quite a few places as she began to tire, ultimately doing too much too soon. That run suggests she's working her way back to form, and is also entitled to strip fitter still.

She will be fresher than most she will meet at this time of year and the return to testing conditions is a big positive. Kamanika is just 1lb higher than her last winning mark and, furthermore, she represents a yard that are among the winners at present.

This also looks a weaker race than those she has contested so far this season and she must have an excellent chance of getting her head back in front.

15:35 Newmarket - Back Ice Max

Only six runners are set to go to post for this year's renewal of the Joel Stakes, but it looks a competitive affair, and you can make a case for each runner.

The ground has been changed to soft all over at Newmarket and there is the threat of further showers, and that will very much play into the favour of the Karl Burke-trained Ice Max.

He was a horse I had on my radar for handicaps early in the season and I actually backed him for his intended return at Musselburgh when that meeting was abandoned.

I didn't think he would progress to the level he has, but he duly proved himself a very well-treated horse when landing back-to-back handicaps in heavy and good to soft ground at Bath and Musselburgh in April and he wasn't suited by a steady gallop on his next two starts at Sandown and Chantilly.

However, there was plenty to like about his most recent success in the Celebration Mile at Goodwood last month, again taking a keen hold but settling better than he had previously and he relished the return to soft ground, moving into contention nicely and finding plenty to assert near the finish.

He beat the reopposing Poker Face, who had the run of the race, by a length on that occasion and, even though he meets that rival on worse terms now, I'm still of the opinion that he can uphold that form given he is less exposed and particularly on the forecast ground.

Lead Artist currently heads the betting, but I'd be unsure about his chances on the ground, which will be the softest he's encountered, and I'm a little surprised Ice Max isn't a point or two shorter in the betting.

Daryl Carter's three to watch on Friday

13:50 Newmarket - Fair Point

15:00 Newmarket - Formal

16:45 Newmarket -Military Academy

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