Royal Ascot Placepot tips: Paul Kealy's perm for the £250,000 guaranteed pool on day five

Most of the juvenile races have proved a nightmare for Placepot punters at Royal Ascot this week, but Aidan O'Brien has only twice in the last eight years not hit the frame with his main fancy for the Chesham (2.30), so Bedtime Story looks the most obvious contender to include.

Of the outsiders, Defence Missile, who stayed on nicely into second at Newbury on his debut and as a half-brother to a couple who recorded Racing Post Ratings of 119 and 120, makes some appeal. 

Continuous is very much the one to beat in the Hardwicke (3.05), but he's expected to come on for the run and that might make him vulnerable. Middle Earth and Missed The Cut, fast-ground winners with Ascot wins to their names, are my two against him.

The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee (3.45) is as competitive as ever, so I'll go with three, starting with Duke of York winner Mill Stream, who was strong at the finish at York and will appreciate this stiffer test. 

Shartash could well benefit from dropping back to 6f, while I expect last year's Commonwealth Cup third Swingalong to improve for her York return.

River Tiber is the standout to these eyes in the Jersey (4.25) and it was tempting to bank on him, but there are 20 runners and only three places, so Guineas seventh Task Force, who may appreciate the step back in trip, goes in too.

Rumstar and Harry Three are my main two in the Wokingham (5.05), but they're drawn high, so we'll add last year's runner-up Apollo One, who always seems to run his race and is on the other side.

That just leaves the Golden Gates (5.40), in which Hand Of God is a worthy favourite and Arabic Legend is a plausible outsider.

Royal Ascot day five Placepot perm

2.30
4 Defence Missile
14 Bedtime Story

3.05
8 Middle Earth
9 Missed The Cut

3.45
5 Mill Stream
8 Shartash
13 Swingalong

4.25
14 River Tiber
17 Task Force

5.05
5 Harry Three
6 Rumstar
8 Apollo One

5.40
3 Arabic Legend
8 Hand Of God

2x2x3x2x3x2 = 144 lines

Tote World Pool

By this point of Royal Ascot we have seen the rewards that can be had by playing the exotics on World Pool, primarily Exactas and Swingers. In the Wokingham, the recommended approach is slightly different.

Dark Trooper is quite a strong fancy in this. With a tweak to your staking, it is possible to put extra weight on him even while striking an exotic bet.

Other horses on the shortlist are Chipstead, Desert Cop and Apollo One. You can lock in Dark Trooper and have him in a Swinger with each of the three, rather than have to take every combination among the four horses, which would double your total stake.

Likewise, a Quinella (essentially a reverse Exacta for a single unit stake) does not have to involve every permutation. Lock in Dark Trooper again and put him with the other three selections. As this is a Quinella, you will still be paid if they return in the 'wrong' order. This is just a way to concentrate your stake on your main fancy.
Keith Melrose

5.05 Royal Ascot

10 Dark Trooper
On top of
8 Apollo One
17 Desert Cop
18 Chipstead

1pt Quinella (three bets)
1pt Swinger (three bets)
6pts total

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