Epsom Placepot tips: Paul Kealy has a crack at the £100,000 guaranteed pool

Epsom opens with a competitive apprentice handicap (5.55) in which Darvel, a very easy winner a Brighton last time, is probably the one to beat. He's an infrequent winner but still well treated on old form.

He's the first pick for the Placepot, while Oh Herberts Reign, who finished fourth in a Derby day handicap last year off a mark 21lb higher than he is now, is also included.

In the next (6.30), Inner City may have taken a backwards step on his second run when beaten at odds-on, but the Charlie Appleby yard was unusually quiet at the time and he still has comfortably the best form, so he can be banked on.

Alazwar is the main fancy for the third (7.00), but G'Daay is also worth adding after an excellent second on the course this month.

There are three last-time-out winners in the fourth (7.35) and you'd imagine one of them will go in again. The locally trained Ectocross won with tons in hand last week, so has to go in.

The next (8.05) is tough, although it's hard to leave out Inverinate, who has been in the first two in three competitive races at this level since being gelded. Twilight Dancer, an eyecatching third at Brighton on her turf debut a couple of weeks ago, is the other suggestion.

The final leg is yet another competitive heat, but there must be a chance Night Eagle has been primed for a big run at a course where his form figures are 3112. He was well beaten last time, but that still wasn't far off his best performance on the all-weather. He's better on turf and below his last winning mark.

It's hardly a race for a banker, though, so Sword Beach, who has dropped 10lb this year and looked on the way back last time, is added.

Epsom Placepot perm

5.55
4 Darvel
5 Oh Herberts Reign

6.30
4 Inner City

7.00
4 G'Daay
6 Alazwar

7.35
6 Ectocross

8.05
2 Inverinate
8 Twilight Dancer

8.40
3 Sword Beach
6 Night Eagle

2x1x2x1x2x2 = 16 lines

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