Ascot, Friday 8 May 2026 — Tips & Previews

Ascot, Friday 8 May 2026 — Tips & Previews

Good ground at Ascot on a Friday afternoon card that has plenty of interest across seven races. The going will suit horses with a bit of class about them, and the stiff Ascot straight is unforgiving for anything that needs to creep into a race. Three races have been provided with full data, and these are where the value lies today.

1:50 — Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% Handicap (7f, Good, 10 runners)

Selection: Albaydaa (11/4, Bet365 / William Hill)

William Haggas is operating at a 12/41 clip over the last fortnight. That is a yard firing. Albaydaa was given a 6f reappearance at Newmarket on good ground, which was arguably the wrong trip for a filly who made all over 7f on the Wolverhampton AW in November. She failed to pick up immediately that day but finished with real purpose to snatch third of 13. The switch back to 7f here, on a track that will suit a horse with a smooth, staying gallop, looks like the right move. Haggas has won three of the last seven runnings of this race, which is a statistic the Spotlight data has flagged and which you simply cannot ignore.

Colori Forever is the obvious danger after that Southwell win, and the rematch with May Angel (back off the same mark after wind surgery) will be interesting. But Albaydaa is the one who looks to have come forward most since her last run, and 11/4 in a 10-runner handicap is workable each-way at three places.

The Gosden yard (10/40 last 14 days) cannot be ignored with May Angel, but William Buick steering a horse who was gelded and had wind surgery and finished behind a penalised rival at Newbury is not the blinding angle some will make it out to be.

NAP candidate.

2:20 — Juddmonte EBF Fillies' Restricted Novice Stakes (5f, Good, 13 runners)

Selection: Miss Moneypit Each-Way (6/1, Bet365 / Coral)

Thirteen runners, juvenile fillies, a big field on debut day, and a yard with form in this specific race. The each-way case practically writes itself.

Bint Archange is the clear form pick on ratings, RPR 87 from a debut third at Newmarket in what the Spotlight notes is a traditionally warm 5f juvenile heat. William Buick takes the ride and she sets the standard. Fair enough. But 9/4 to 2/1 in a 13-runner field of mostly inexperienced fillies is not a price that excites.

Miss Moneypit is the angle. Rod Millman's filly was nibbled at in the market for her Bath debut three weeks ago, suffered a luckless passage, and finished eighth. The same yard used this exact race last year to introduce Anthelia, who went on to win the Listed National Stakes, the Super Sprint, and a Group 3. That is not a coincidence. It is yard placement. Millman knows where to bring this type, and a return to 5f on good ground, with stable confidence already demonstrated at Bath, makes this an each-way play at 6/1.

Wondervision at 3/1 with Jack Channon's yard running 2-5 with juveniles this season is respected, but the unknown quotient of all these debut runners means taking the bigger price with a horse that has shown something.

3:25 — Only Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% Handicap (6f, Good, 11 runners)

Selection: Hucklesbrook (3/1, Bet365)

Roger Teal's gelding has a course and distance win on his CV from 2025, and the Spotlight notes his Newbury fourth last time was a step back in the right direction. He is only 2lb higher than when he won at York, and he has form on good ground at sprint trips. This stiff Ascot 6f on good going looks tailored for a horse who likes to bowl along from the front, which is exactly the style Hucklesbrook employs.

Elements Of Fire (6/1) is interesting after three AW wins for Archie Watson, but jumping up 5lb and switching to turf over a shorter trip on the same day is a lot to ask. He may well be capable of it, but Hucklesbrook already has the C&D blueprint.

Photosynthesis is 7/1 and deserves respect after that Newmarket win at this trip on good ground, but he is stepping up in grade and needs more.

Hucklesbrook at 3/1 is the most straightforward bet on the card in terms of profile. Course form, right trip, right ground, and back near his winning mark.

Today's NAP