Sweet Solera Stakes, Newmarket, 13:55 - Back Nuit d'Eclair @ 11/43.75
Charlie Appleby's impressive debut winner Graceful Song is a short-priced favourite for the Sweet Solera Stakes and the case for her looks obvious given the clear-cut success she produced over this C&D last month. However, the form of that race has yet to be fully tested and the time was a slow one, albeit a steady pace did contribute to that somewhat.
This represents a big step up in grade, though, so I'm going to take her on with one who has already had a crack at Group 3 company and shaped better than the bare result when doing so.
Amo Racing's relationship with their retained jockey David Egan has been in the news of late, but Egan keeps the ride on this filly after she finished fourth in the Princess Margaret at Ascot last time.
The winner of a strong novice at Newbury on debut (the form of which has been well advertised since), Nuit d'Eclair was then sent for a shot at stakes company in that aforementioned Ascot race and was beaten less than a length into fourth, also meeting some trouble into the bargain.
Both of the selection's starts to date have been over 6f, but her pedigree suggests she should be fine with this 7f trip and she's strictly the one to beat on form.
Back Nuit d'Eclair to win 13:55 Newmarket
Notable winners from Mark in recent weeks
Galen @ 4/1
Infraad @ 10/3
Free World @ 3/1
Enceladus @ 11/4
Flora Of Bermuda @ 9/4
Sixty Plus @ 2/1
Pure Passion @ 9/2
Mark Milligan's Bet of the Day: Ascot, 15:55 - Back Archers Bay @ 11/43.75
It's probably fair to say that the quality of jockeys riding at the Shergar Cup varies from year to year, but the 2026 line-up looks one of the strongest ever assembled and even Ryan Moore is involved for the first time in 20 years!
Moore looks to have a pretty strong book of rides too, none more so than Archers Bay, who carries top weight in this 1m 4f handicap.
Marco Botti's three-year-old won an all-weather novice on his final 2025 start before following that up with a win on handicap debut at Newmarket in April, where he beat Waterford Castle by half a length in race that threw up a few subsequent winners.
Hiked in grade to listed company on the back of that, Archers Bay acquitted himself well at the Guineas meeting when third to Ancient Egypt before blowing out when sent for a tilt at the Italian Derby.
However, his recent fourth to Heraldry back in the handicap ranks is likely to read well as the season progresses and this race doesn't appear as deep as that one.
In-form William Haggas filly Hoseki may provide the biggest danger, but she'll struggle to contain Archers Bay if he runs up to his best.
Back Archers Bay to win 15:55 Ascot
Ascot, 16:30 - Back Bullet Point @ 5/16.00
While I'm hoping the Haggas team are out of luck in the preceding race, I'm expecting a bold show from their representative Bullet Point in the 1m handicap that closes the Shergar Cup.
Second in last season's Hunt Cup at the Royal meeting, Bullet Point clearly goes well at Ascot and had a fine time of things in 2025, winning a pair of handicaps before ending his season down the field in listed company in Australia.
The selection has been back in handicaps since returning to Britain and hasn't been seen to best effect in either of them. He shaped as if very much in need of the run over 1m 1f on his Newmarket return from Oz, while he would have finished closer than twelfth at Newbury last time had he not met trouble.
It is perhaps a slight concern that we haven't seen Bullet Point for 84 days, but he has gone well fresh in the past and it could be that he's ready to hit the ground running in preparation for a fruitful autumn campaign, while crack Frenchman Christophe Lemaire being in the saddle is a big plus point.
Back Bullet Point to win 16:30 Ascot