Jack Nicol's Tote Placepot tips: Plains a Pot banker in Ascot opener

The ground was on the softer side at the beginning of the week, but it would be no surprise to see some 'firm' featuring in the going description by the start of Saturday afternoon following a warm spell over the last few days. It therefore may prove wise to take on Heavy-ground scorer Kotari, who follows up just five days after sluicing to victory at Salisbury. He's yet to be reassessed by the handicapper for that and is surely well-in under a 5lb penalty and likely to prove popular with punters in his current form.

However, I think King Of The Plains still looks well-handicapped ahead of his four-year-old campaign and it will be interesting to see how he fares now in the care of James Horton. The Roaring Lion colt rounded off 2023 with a commanding victory on handicap debut at Newcastle and still looks to have much more to offer from a 5lb higher mark.

A competitive fillies' race over the straight mile is next up and the winner has often gone on to prove herself in Stakes races, with recent winners Soft Whisper, Lights On, Tisbutadream and Urban Fox all securing subsequent Stakes' victories after winning this, with the last-named also winning at the very top level.

I don't think there are any Group 1 fillies in this year's line-up but Zouzanna is an obvious starting point having won over seven furlongs on the straight track here last term. She'll enjoy the quick conditions having blown out on easy ground when last seen in October and William Buick is a notable jockey booking.

I'm also keen to get Strong Impact on-side. I think of all the fillies here that she is the best-handicapped in the field although there are reservations over whether this trip might be a touch sharp for the daughter of Saxon Warrior. That said, she's been handed an entry in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes over the same course-and-distance at the Royal Meeting next month. Connections must be pleased with her winter progress to make such an ambitious entry and she therefore has to enter calculations here from a mark of 81.

The Victoria Cup is always one of my favourite races of the year. Indeed, I love getting stuck in to all the top handicaps over the straight track at Ascot.

Generally, it's key to have a higher draw in this race, with nine of the last 10 winners drawn in stall 10 or above, but Rebel Territory threw that trend out of the window when bolting up from stall two 12 months ago. It's possible that he was just the best horse in the field as he arrived on the back of a win and was clearly well-handicapped. 

This gives hope for those drawn low this time around and I'd give a chance to the progressive Hickory, who already boasts solid course form having finished second and third in similar big-field handicaps over course-and-distance last term. There's also a bit of pace on the far-side courtesy of Zero Carbon and Merlin The Wizard and I'm hoping they can give a nice tow into the contest for James Fanshawe's charge.

With all that said, I have to cover the generally favoured near-side and I just can't shake the memory of Pearle D'Or winning impressively at Newbury back in September and marking him down as a horse to follow. That was on softer ground but I think he's fairly versatile in regards to the ground and he also holds a course-and-distance victory here back in July. Rated 90, I'd be amazed if there's not more to come from him in 2024.

A bit of a guessing game here in this five furlong novice event, so I'd advise a market check before playing, as there's only two previous runs between the 10 intended runners at this stage.

Of those two, Hallasan ran with a great deal of promise when third at Newmarket on debut with the £180,000 purchase just fading in the closing stages. The second, The Actor, has won subsequently and the overall form looks above average. Hallasan doesn't look the biggest but he was well-supported beforehand at Newmarket and has clearly been showing up well at home. He sets the clear standard with Charlie Appleby winning three of the last seven renewals of this contest.

Of the debutants, I thought it was interesting that Xanthe was declared here against the colts. The Earthlight filly holds a fast and precocious pedigree.

Things went all wrong for Sindoriyno last time out at Wolverhampton. The colt was slowly away and could never land a blow on the turning track, forced wide on the turn for home before switching back inside to take fourth position at the line. 

I think that was an above average race for the venue and I certainly wouldn't give up on Charlie Johnston's colt on the back of that effort, which was under a penalty, and think he'll be better served now switching to the turf and going up in trip, with his dam a talented 1m4f winner during her racing days.

The three-year-old colt has been allotted a rating of 80 for this handicap bow and I'll be shocked if there's not significant improvement to come from that opening mark.

Selection: Sindoriyno (5).

A tricky conclusion to the placepot with another fillies-only handicap but Warda Jamila caught the eye when sixth at Newbury last time out when racing under a penalty against the colts, and she's first on the list in a two-pronged attack in the final leg.

As a Calyx half-sister to Coltrane, it's fair to say Warda Jamila holds quite a mixed pedigree and it'll be interesting to see in time what proves to be her optimum trip. It could be back down over a mile but I think she's definitely worth another go at 10 furlongs. An opening mark of 80 also looks very fair based on that aforementioned effort at Newbury last time, with the fifth already winning subsequently.

Miss Alpilles is another who looks well-treated on handicap debut and she is also best judged on her most recent outing when finishing fourth at Newbury. That came in a smart fillies' novice that often throws up Group performers and I thought she showed clear improvement with the step up to 10 furlongs that day, only fading late on against potential Stakes-class rivals. 

I therefore can't oppose her here from an opening mark of 75, especially with the current form of the Ed Walker stable.

Selections: Warda Jamila (6) & Miss Alpilles (8).

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