Paul Kealy's play of the day at Ascot

Bond Chairman

5.25 Ascot

I was having a good look at this race on Thursday when the early prices dropped and nearly fell off my chair when I saw that Bond Chairman was chalked up as a 33-1 joint-outsider of the 13-runner field.

It's fair to say he lost his form at the end of last year, but he has done that in all three seasons that he has raced and is far better judged on his early-season form each year and his runs at Ascot.

Bryan Smart has been trying to win a race at Ascot with him for a while, and while he hasn't managed it, he does boast form figures at the track of 442430, with two of those top-fours coming in this race off marks of 100 in 2022 and 98 last year.

In each of those seasons he'd already been in action, but Smart has decided to bring him straight here this year, which might not be a bad idea given he won first time out as a juvenile and again last year (off a mark of 95), while he also finished a one-length fourth in the 27-runner Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes first time up in 2022 (his second top-four in a massive field at the Royal meeting) off the same mark as he is on now.

I'd have been happy to back him each-way with four places at a quarter of his opening show, so there's still some mileage in his price now.

Bond Chairman17:25 Ascot

View Racecard

Jky: Paul Mulrennan Tnr: Bryan Smart

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