Newbury Placepot picks: Paul Kealy's perm for the £50k guaranteed pool

It seems to have been taken for granted that Alyanaabi is going to improve for a step up to 1m2f given his odds-on quotes for Newbury's opener (1.50), as his form is certainly no better than some of his rivals.

There are no guarantees he will though, so I'll take a chance and leave him out of Placepot calculations, going instead with course specialist Al Aasy (3-4) and Savvy Victory, who ran really well at Sandown last time.

Spirit Mixer is a sporting choice in the next (2.25), with Shagpyle, an improving half-sister to Pyledriver, another who strikes me as being a bit overpriced.

The more the ground dries out the more it will suit Regional in the Hackwood (3.00), although I will be adding Kind Of Blue, who isn't being given enough credit for his Commonwealth Cup fourth.

I had been quite keen on Time For Sandals in the Super Sprint (3.35), but it's more than ten years since the winner came from a stall lower than 13 and he's in one, so it's probably best to play it safe and go with a couple of form horses on the high side in It Ain't Two (15) and Kaadi (14).

There's very little to go in the following novice (4.10), so you will have to take a pedigree guess. Mine are Elyam, Brave Mission and Yafaarr.

There's more to go on in the final novice (4.45), although it doesn't look much of a race for the money on offer. Mallavelly and Dubai Melody are the picks.