Daryl Carter's Tips: 7/1 Bay can wash his rivals away at Ascot plus a 28/1 chance to consider

• Three Friday selections

• Back Tempus to bounce back at Ascot

• Granger Bay will relish testing conditions and a flat track

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16:10 Ascot - Back Lord Bertie @ 28/129.00 1pt

This is competitive, and Waleefy is respected at the head of affairs, but he had no excuses last time. The soft ground throws this race wide open, and Look Back Smiling is high on the shortlist. However, I want to take a bit of a punt with Lord Bertie - 28/129.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook - who may not ever live up to the promise of his time with William Haggas.

However, for now, I will assume that he disliked the AW at Kempton, Newcastle, and Chelmsford in his last three starts and hope that the return to turf, particularly soft ground, will spark him back to life.

When returning from a 368-day break on soft ground in his Novice last term, the four-year-old thumped admittedly poor rivals at Thirsk. Still, he earned that odds-on price tag, having readilly taking care of some useful rivals in a Maiden at Ffos Las - the ground changed immediately to heavy following his race. He had had little chance at Chester when an odds-on favourite on his handicap debut. That track was too sharp for this once Derby entrant, and he pulled too hard when the market forgave him at Yarmouth on a quicker surface.

His dam relished soft ground, so in an open race and evidence pointing to Lord Bertie wanting this surface and many unfavoured (particularly those at the top of the market), he is worth chancing at 20/121.00 or bigger for a win-only dart.

16:45 Ascot - Back Tempus @ 7/18.00 1pt

Tempus - 7/18.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook - could have done with some more robust handling in the Shergar Cup Mile 27 days ago but travelled full of zest, and that was a firm indicator that he is ready to return to form.

He has put together three good efforts in recent outings and has an excellent record on this Ascot straight mile. The rain due is a big positive, having been outpaced the last twice on fast ground.

The eight-year-old may prove more effective these days with a bit of ease in the surface, and his excellent short-head second at Newmarket three starts back was the first time he had such conditions since he was rated 114 in 2023. Now, having fallen in the handicap, he can be rewarded for consistent efforts from a good draw in stall eight.

Awaal is feared if he can improve from his return in the Bunbury Cup 55 days ago, but it's been a long time between drinks. Although this is an easier assignment than many, I am not convinced about the stiff 1m for him. Bennetot and Son Of Man are both interesting, with the latter perhaps best watched for his new yard for now.

17:20 Ascot - Back Granger Bay @ 7/18.00 1pt (NAP)

Granger Bay - 7/18.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook - has improved with each outing, and I expect him to take a step forward 13 days after his encouraging display at Newmarket. There's little doubt this is a stiffer task, but he has more to offer on the bare form of his short career from this lowly mark of 77, particularly considering his excellent and promising debut splitting Telemark (94) and Lucentio (87). He should relish any juice in the ground, and this stiff, flat track is far more suitable than Newmarket or Lingfield this season.

With a lightly raced profile, well-bred and open to further improvement, this assignment should prove right up his street, and Billy Loughnane is expected to get the best out of him.

This race is not as deep as the numbers suggest. Jimmy Speaking, the sole course winner, is expected to find these seven furlongs taxing on his stamina, while Zainabb and Savvy Warrior have only shown average form.

Pedro Valentino is an obvious danger, but slower ground would be a question mark for him. Granger Bay has an excellent chance to open his account at a fair price from a good draw and is one of the only horses to have proven he handles likely conditions. The minimum acceptable is 9/25.50.

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