King George Ascot Day

Professional tipster Ben Merritt gives his thoughts on today's racing...

2.55 Ascot - BACK IN BLACK 15/2 (NAP)

EXTREMELY ZAIN is a Group horse and has been working like a Group 1 horse of late too too. If he runs like he works, put simply, he wont be beaten. However, 3yr olds never win this, for all very few are ever good enough to get in, and for that reason I'll have a saver. BACK IN BLACK is that horse and another who keeps running well but getting chinned. I tipped him two starts ago at Newcastle, because I felt he would have bolted up in the Buckingham Palace at Royal Ascot, but unfortunately was balloted out. He absolutely cruised through that race and it looked a case of how far he'd win by, before his stamina gave in and he folded up late on. I opposed him last time out, in the Bunbury Cup, because he was dealt an impossible draw and really shouldn't have had any chance. Somehow, he managed to finish 2nd, losing out to only an extremely well handicapped plot. Turned out again here, a few have won this straight from that Newmarket race, he's 2lb well in and should find this race working out better for him. He beat the Royal Hunt Cup winner back in April on seasonal debut, so the form is rock solid. James Fanshawe has his horses in great form too.

2.00 York - ADDISON GREY 7/1 (Next Best)

ADDISON GREY might just be on the wrong side of the track, but the pace in drawn dead centre, so I hope they race down the middle and not far side, as is often the case. He's been hitting the crossbar all season but has numerous excuses for those defeats and there is reason to believe he can defy this mark. He was beaten a head first time out this year, rated 92, but arguably run his best race of the season when 2nd next time out, beaten 2 lengths. That day he was only beaten by Double Rush, who won the Wokingham next time out and is a Group class sprinter. There was a gap back to the 3rd. He was badly hampered at Newbury next time out, rated 94, before flying home late and was desperately unlucky off the same mark last time out at Salisbury. Being a hold up horse, he will need luck but being drawn high he shouldn't have many issues provided Rossa doesn't make this complicated and switch far side. Rossa knows him well, so that shouldn't be an issue, and Cox has his horses in form.

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