Ascot Placepot picks: Graeme Rodway with his perm for a fantastic card

What a fantastic card we have to look forward to at Ascot and the Placepot could pay big.

The opening 2m7½f novice handicap hurdle (12.40) looks like a good opportunity for Imphal to bounce back from a defeat at Lingfield last time. Go Steady looks next best.

The 2m5f graduation chase (1.15) could go to Messire Des Obeaux, who beat Protektorat at Wincanton last season and still has untapped potential in chases. Pencilfulloflead is next best.

Palmers Hill won well at Wetherby latest and is a banker in the 2m3f handicap chase (1.50).

The Long Walk (2.25) doesn't look an outstanding running of the race and it seems even weaker now Buzz is a non-runner. Just the dead eight go now and Thyme Hill should be placed.

The Howden Silver Cup (3.00) is a cracking staying handicap chase. Cloth Cap has dropped 4lb since his Newbury sixth and must be included, along with course specialist Regal Encore.

The Betfair Exchange Trophy (3.35) rounds off the card and it's another red-hot handicap. Onemorefortheroad is my idea of the winner, but Benson also looks likely to finish placed.

Ascot Placepot perm

12.40
2 Go Steady
10 Imphal

1.15
3 Messire Des Obeaux
4 Pencilfulloflead

1.50
7 Palmers Hill

2.25
9 Thyme Hill

3.00
1 Cloth Cap
2 Regal Encore

3.35
11 Onemorefortheroad
13 Benson

2x2x1x1x2x2 = 16 lines

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