Jack Nicol's Tote Placepot picks for Ascot on Saturday

There's a minimum guarantee of £150,000 for the Tote Placepot pool at Ascot on Saturday and what a card we have to look forward to with the Group One King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes always a key race in the Flat season calendar. 

I've got a perm consisting of 24 lines to consider for Saturday's card. 

: Al Misbar (1) and Back In Black (2) 

We have just seven runners in the opening 7f maiden and only two bits of form to consider with the majority making their racecourse debuts. 

Back In Black sets the standard following an eye-catching second on debut at Yarmouth in May, but you have to suspect that he may have had a minor hold-up in between as it's been over two months since that promising introduction. Granted natural improvement he should be one of the main players here and looks a solid base as the main selection in the opener. 

I'm keen to double up in the first, especially as it is a maiden, and hoping the addition of debutant Al Misbar can ensure safe passage into leg two. 

This Blue Point colt is a half-brother to Battaash and The Antarctic, both of whom won on debut, and it was no surprise to see him command a huge fee at the sales with Godolphin going to 1,500,000gns as winning bidders. 

He holds no flashy entries at this stage but the Charlie Appleby team sent out an impressive maiden winner at Sandown on Thursday and will be hoping this colt can add to that dominant success. 

: Handcuffed (5) and Simmering (8) 

We're sticking with the juveniles in leg two with the Group Three Princess Margaret Stakes giving the fillies a chance to shine. 

Simmering sets a good standard here despite still being a maiden after two starts but there's plenty of substance in those two efforts having chased home subsequent Group two scorer Arabie on debut before finishing half a length behind Fairy Godmother over this course-and-distance in last month's Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot. She's clearly a leading player on that form and must be included here for Placepot purposes. 

There's plenty of potential improvers in the line-up, though, and I will take Handcuffed as a second selectionfollowing her most impressive debut victory at Newbury this month. 

I was taken with the way the Dark Angel filly travelled there and she was merely pushed out close home to score under Oisin Murphy. She's worthy of a place in my line-up on that showing. 

: Devoted Queen (6) 

My strongest fancy is in the Group Three Valiant Stakes, the third race on the card, with Devoted Queen expected to take all of the beating. 

Unbeaten in three starts, she was expected to run at the Royal Meeting last month but was a late non-runner in the Group one Coronation Stakes. That says plenty about the regard in which this Kingman filly is held, so hopefully a drop to a Group Three event here can merely being a stepping stone onto bigger targets. 

An impressive winner of a Listed race at York in May, Devoted Queen has impressed with each victory but that was a clear career-best on the Knavesmire last time out and there's no reason to suggest she's at the ceiling of her ability. 

Orazio (3), New Image (15) and Hickory (16) 

I always enjoy getting stuck into the handicaps on the straight track at Ascot and the 18-runner International Stakes over seven furlongs is the latest cavalry charge to unpick. 

Aalto, Summerghand and Carrytheone strongly represent the Bunbury Cup form from Newmarket this month but none of those taking my immediate fancy here and, instead, the main selection comes in the form of James Fanshawe's Hickory. 

The six-year-old has shown up well on every start at the track, especially in this race 12 months ago when finishing second to Baradar from a 1lb lower mark. He's placed in a further two handicaps over the same course-and-distance and makes obvious appeal for Placepot purposes considering his excellent record. He looks a decent differential pick and I think you can completely rule out his latest effort at Newbury where hold-up performers were given no chance with the way the race unfolded. 

Orazio and New Image complete the attack. The former ran an excellent race when flying home for third in the Wokingham Stakes over 6f here last month and it's no surprise that connections are now testing the waters over this longer trip. He's clearly always been a very good work horse for Charlie Hills and I'm convinced he's got a big race in him. 

New Image caught the eye last time at York and is lurking on a mark of 89. He's been improving with each start since joining David O'Meara and this straight 7f should be ideal. 

Auguste Rodin (1) and Sunway (9) 

The feature King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes poses an intriguing puzzle for leg five. 

I can't see Luxembourg being given an easy lead here, particularly with stablemate Auguste Rodin in attendance, so it is hard to see the six-year-old following up his Group One Coronation Stakes at Epsom last month. He looks set for pace-making duties with another stablemate ,Hans Andersen, and that should ensure an honest gallop for the race of the day. 

That's good news for Sunway who may not be quite good enough to win this, but I can definitely see him in the fray at a bigger price. David Menuisier has never held back when speaking about the regard in which he holds this colt and everything is set up for him to produce a career-best. 

Ultimately, it is hard to get away from Auguste Rodin, certainly in terms of the Placepot, as he goes in search of a seventh top level victory. He gets his all-important fast ground and looks booked for the places at the very least. 

Al Qudra (1) 

It's a disappointing end to proceedings with just five runners set to go to post in the final leg, especially with two competitive handicaps later on the card. 

The handicaps would have been preferred but this is not a bad race, though, with the recent roll of honour featuring the likes of Chindit, Naval Power and one of this year's standout horses, Rosallion. 

I doubt there will be anything of the calibre of the last-named contesting this year's race but Al Qudra sets a decent standard with the colt improving on each of his four starts so far this season. 

He was one of few horses to perform with credit at the Royal Meeting for Charlie Appleby last month with an excellent running-on fifth in the Coventry Stakes and this step up to 7f looks ideal.