Beware unusual place terms on Ascot Tote as Paul Kealy shares his selections

If you're intending playing on the Tote this week it's worth reminding yourself of the different place terms for big-field handicaps and the Placepot itself due to commingling with Hong Kong pools.

There will be no fourth place paid for any handicap with 16 or more runners whether in the place pool itself or for the Placepot.

That will lead to a slightly better payout (or significantly on days when there's more than one big handicap in the pool) than usual, but it sure makes it harder to get.

There are only three places for instance, in the opening leg (1.15), which features a field of 24.

It's not going to be easy, but with some of the races looking less competitive than usual it should be simple enough to get a manageable perm.

and are my two outright bets for this with plenty of pace on the far side, but I'd better add a couple with higher draws just in case.

Greensideis a veteran, but a very talented one and went down by only half a length in a better race than this here on his final start last season under tidy apprentice Marco Ghiani, while I find , presumably the choice of Jim Crowley, at least as interesting as the other Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned runners at the head of the market.

I'll go with only one of my outside bets for the Queen Anne (, 1.50) and instead replace the other with safer options and .

They're the two form horses, particularly the latter, whose Lockinge win last season is arguably best form in the race.

The next three legs feature warm favourites who will have a big say on the final payout depending on what happens to them.

There may be some who want to take them on, but I'm not feel remotely adventurous and will simply bank on my Oaks hope (2.25), Derby contender Mogul(3.00) and the brilliant sprinter Battaash(3.35), who faces a much easier task than usual here.

The final leg is competitive despite only 11 runners, but I'm happy to go with just two.

can improve on what was a very promising run behind Terebellum in the Dahlia, while also has the form to be a major player.

She improved throughout her first season, saving her best for when dropped back to a mile with a Group 3 win in August and then a fourth to Billesdon Brook in the Sun Chariot at Newmarket in October.

That's 24 lines, which is as many as I'd go to because if the three bankers are placed it won't pay a life-changing amount.