Today's Racing Tips: Mark Milligan's best bets on Friday include 20/1 Ascot fancy

Ascot, 15:40 - Back Pure Mint @ 10/111.91

Pure Mint created a very big impression when bolting up at Ripon on his debut and he looks banker material as he lines up for his second start in this 6f novice contest.

Simon & Ed Crisford's juvenile is bred to be sharp and he certainly lived up to that billing on his bow in North Yorkshire as he travelled well just in behind the leader before powering clear in the final furlong to come home over four lengths clear.

That performance was backed up by a very solid timefigure, while the well-beaten third adds substance to the form given he came out and won next time.

An entry in the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes later this month points to the regard that Pure Mint is held in and it looks a big plus that the excellent James Doyle has been called up for the ride after Harry Davies partnered him at Ripon.

Of the opposition, Does Mary Know found a chunk of improvement to finish second last time and may be the one to give the selection most to do, but I suspect he'll have to settle for the silver medal once again.

Notable winners from Mark in recent weeks

Item @ 7/1
Pierian @ 10/3
Algaihabane @ 3/1
Kokbastau @ 11/4
Quest For Stars @ 5/2
Youdecide @ 15/8
Haffner @ 6/4

Ascot, 16:48 - Back Jolly Jack Tar E/W @ 20/121.00

The next selection is more speculative although no less intriguing, as Jolly Jack Tar returns from a 15-month spell on the sidelines to contest this quality class 2 handicap over a mile.

Now a five-year-old, we haven't seen John & Thady Gosden's gelding since he trailed in last of 18 in another competitive handicap at the 2025 Glorious Goodwood meeting. Prior to that he'd looked a horse of some potential having won twice on the all-weather before making his turf debut in that Goodwood race.

Jolly Jack Tar simply ran too badly to be true that day, so I suspect the change in surface had little to do with it, and the biggest clue to his non-performance probably lies in the fact that we haven't seen him since.

What makes him of real interest here is that his high-profile connections have decided to persevere with him at the age of five, and the fact that they could easily have targeted a lower class of handicap for his comeback given he holds a BHA Rating of 92.

There's little doubt Jolly Jack Tar is entitled to need this, but it's worth noting that he won off the bench last season (after 5 months away), so can clearly go well fresh and I think he's worth taking a chance on.

Kempton, 18:54 - Back Go Rimbaud @ 11/43.75

It's John & Thady Gosden who provide us with the final Friday selection and the case for Go Rimbaud at Kempton is a lot more straightforward.

This three-year-old has been pretty consistent to date, his only real blip coming when finishing down the field in a competitive 15-runner handicap at Glorious Goodwood two starts back.

He was much better in a smaller field last time, going down by the narrowest of margins to Man Of Vision in a six-runner affair at Newmarket, that just his second start since being fitted with cheekpieces.

Interestingly, that headgear is discarded in favour of blinkers here and it could be that the more severe accoutrement manages to coax a bit of improvement out of Go Rimbaud.

If that's the case, this well-bred son of Palace Pier could well take plenty of stopping under Rab Havlin.

In terms of dangers, the biggest threat may well emerge from the unexposed Wuood, who has just two starts under his belt, but he did win a weak enough race last time and will need to step up on that.

Now read more horse racing columns here