Ascot Horse Racing Tips: Simon Holt best bets for Saturday

Recommended bets:

1pt win Derry Lad in 5.45 Pontefract

1pt win Silver Sword in 6.15 Pontefract

1pt win Faro De San Juan in 6.45 Pontefract

ITV4 selections: Mauna Loa 3.45 Pontefract, Shimmering Sands 4.15 Pontefract, Luisa Casati 4.45 Pontefract, Haizoom 5.15 Pontefract, DERRY LAD 5.45 Pontefract, SILVER SWORD 6.15 Pontefract, FARO DE SAN JUAN 6.45 Pontefract

NEWMARKET-based, South African trainer Dylan Cunha is getting some good results from a smallish string, and looks to have two decent chances at Pontefract's Sky Bet Sunday Series meeting on Sunday.

Cunha (two winners from his last four runners) has done particularly well with SILVER SWORD as the horse refused to race in his first two starts, but he broke his maiden at Southwell (1m) in April and, after a good run at Epsom over two furlongs further on Derby Day, another victory looks possible in the Sky Bet Sunday Series 3yo Mile Handicap.

On just his fourth career finish that day, Silver Sword was prominent all the way and, while no match for the promising Torito in the closing stages, he kept on gamely all the way to the line.

Torito was hardly disgraced when fourth in the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot on Thursday when not getting the best of runs and could be set for another rise up the ratings.

On the stiff Pontefract course, a drop back in trip should be no problem for the potentially well handicapped Silver Sword and, now that he is behaving himself, there should be more to come.

Later, Cunha has chances of further success with last week's Chester winner FARO DE SAN JUAN in the concluding Sky Bet Sunday Series Sprint Handicap.

This French import, formerly trained by Francis Graffard, ran a good race on his English debut at Doncaster in early April when finishing third of 19 to Aleezdancer but struggled to make much impression on his next three starts before turning up at 25-1 on the Roodee despite being hampered at the start.

Up 4lb for that success, but still 2lb below his Doncaster mark, the son of Almanzor may just have turned a corner and, with the string clearly in good health, looks capable of following up.

Earlier, DERRY LAD could make it a Sunday Series double in the Middle Distance Handicap after his victory at Hamilton last month when staying on stoutly up the finishing climb.

Raised 6lb, the Irish raider had previously run a fine race in an 18-runner handicap at Navan (another stiff track) on heavy ground where he went down by just under two lengths to Brave Troop, who won again next time, while third-placed Everylittlestep beat 21 others at Leopardstown on Thursday.

Shane Gray's mount wouldn't want conditions to dry up too much, but showers are forecast and those last two efforts suggest that the Kevin Coleman-trained gelding is on the upgrade with Pontefract's punishing final half mile likely to play to his strengths.