Fast Results
Scores
Timeform Daily View | Friday preview and tips
Tony McFadden provides an overview of the key things to note on Friday.
Three points of interest
Saeed bin Suroor bidding to enhance Kempton strike rate
Saeed bin Suroor has had more winners at Kempton (35) than any other course since the start of 2019, and those winners have come at an impressive strike rate of 24.8% which compares favourably to his record of 20.3% in British Flat races in the same period.
Bin Suroor has only one runner at the track on Friday: Castle Gates in the opening seven-furlong novice (17:55).
Castle Gates boasts an eye-catching pedigree being a half-brother to Oaks runner-up Dance Sequence and it's also worth noting the trainer's positive record with his juveniles this season. Bin Suroor has had two winners, three seconds and a third from only six two-year-old runners so far this season.
Notebooks at the ready for informative Ascot card
Friday's card at Ascot, which includes three maiden or novice races, won't be to the taste of plenty of punters, though there will be some promising young horses on show, most notably Ballet Slippers (15:00) who looks to have been found a good opportunity to get off the mark before having her sights raised.
Ballet Slippers, the first foal of multiple Group 1 winner Magical, has shown plenty of promise on both starts and will understandably be a short price for Aidan O'Brien who earlier this week enjoyed his 50th win in a two-year-old race in 2024.
O'Brien also has a runner in the preceding seven-furlong maiden (14:25) that looks sure to throw up winners. Aftermath has been ruled out but O'Brien still has a leading contender in Isambard Brunel who impressed Timeform's reporter ahead of his debut at Newbury - he is described as a well-made, attractive colt - and also showed plenty to work on in fifth, looking likely to benefit from the experience.
He's not the only horse who should progress from a promising debut, though, as Fifth Column also earned the Timeform Horse In Focus Flag after finishing seventh at Kempton for the Gosdens. In his case he was awarded the Timeform Large P to mark him out as one capable of significant improvement.
Well-bred newcomers from top stables, such as the 400,000 guineas purchase Frankini representing Andrew Balding, add further intrigue and it will probably take a useful sort to prevail.
Mullins has first runner at Bangor
Fine Margin has already provided Willie and Patrick Mullins with a first winner at Fontwell and Worcester and is tasked with doing likewise at Bangor on Friday (13:35).
Fine Margin has proved a cut above the British novices he has faced so far this summer, which is perhaps unsurprising given the form he showed when runner-up in a valuable handicap at Haydock last season on his first start for his powerful yard.
He is expected to complete the hat-trick here, though his task looks more difficult this time due to the presence of fellow Irish raider Jumping Susie who has also won twice over hurdles.
Tip of the Day
Waleefy - 16:10 Ascot
Flags: Horse In Focus, Hot Trainer, Top-Rated
Waleefy may not be as good as his half-brothers Baaeed and Hukum but he has thrived on his racing this season and developed into a useful colt. He benefited from stepping back up in trip to seven furlongs when posting a comfortable victory at Doncaster on his penultimate start and then arguably produced a slightly better effort at Newbury last month when sticking to his task well in second behind a rival who was seen to good effect from the front. Waleefy's steadily progressive profile and superb pedigree offers hope that there might be a bit more to come for the in-form William Haggas, and he could prove a cut above his rivals in this classified contest.
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.