Ascot‘s weekend meeting kicks off on Friday and Andrew Mount is on hand to provide two horses to watch on their day one card. Away from Berkshire, Andrew also has evening analysis of Dundalk‘s all-weather card to send you into the weekend.
1.50 Ascot – Bold Impact
Bold Impact is best late off a strong pace, and they didn’t go fast enough for Rod Millman’s four-year-old in an amateur riders’ handicap over 1m1f at Newmarket last month where he fared best of the closers in an 11-1 third. This 7f trip is on the sharp side, but the big field will help, and they often go off too hard in these amateur races. The son of Blue Point’s latest run at this trip produced a third place when again doing best of those to come from off the pace and he holds solid each-way claims.
4.10 Ascot – Ironwill
I discussed Ironwill on GG’s Weekend Watch ahead of his 11-1 fifth of 17 at Goodwood in May where he finished a solid 10-1 second of 13 to Ghost Mode despite racing keenly and looking like the 7f trip stretched him. Stuart Williams’ three-year-old had won over that trip at Newmarket on his previous start but only just lasted home in a five-runner affair and he clearly didn’t stay the mile trip at York’s Ebor meeting, again racing keenly before fading into tenth of 19. I wrote him up after last month’s hard-pulling third of 14 at Doncaster (7f), suggesting that he needed gelding, headgear or a drop in trip and I have to be with him this afternoon in this 6f handicap. He’s two from two in sprints outside of his seasonal debuts and stall 11 of 18 gives him options if the earlier races suggest a bias.
7.30 Dundalk – Salt Lake
Backing Amo Racing-owned newcomers, especially in Ireland, used to be one of my go-to systems but their reliance on first-season sire Persian Force has out a dent in the profits, as his progeny tend to improve significantly for their first run. For that reason, I didn’t back Salt Lake in his debut at the Curragh on August 22nd but the 14-1 shot very nearly won, going down by just a short head to odds-on favourite Monogram. That form has been well advertised with third-placed Noble Exhibit winning both subsequent starts (maiden/Group 2) and the winner going on to finish second to Folsom Blues in the Group 1 National stakes. Salt Lake himself went one better at Naas next time. Persian Force two-year-old colts are 11 from 35 on their third or subsequent starts (+£4.98 to a £1 level stake at SP) with latest qualifier Force Noir (28-1 from 50-1) running a blinder to finish second at Newmarket last week. Robson De Aguair’s colt shouldn’t have a problem with the switch to Polytrack and can follow up in this 7f Listed contest.
Andrew Mount’s Best Bets Today
1.50 Ascot – Bold Impact (0.5pt e/w – 12/1 bet365, 11/1 general)
4.10 Ascot – Ironwill (1pt win – 6/1 general)
7.30 Dundalk – Salt Lake (1pt win – 3/1 bet365, 11/4 general)
FAQs: Today’s Racing Tips
Which racecourses run on Friday 2nd October? Ascot, Dundalk, Gowran Park, Hexham, Newcastle & Wolverhampton
Who is Andrew Mount? Andrew Mount is a professional tipster with over a decade of experience following UK and Irish racing. He combines form study, market moves and trainer intelligence to identify value bets each day, and shares his tips daily on X as @TrendHorses.
When was today’s article published? Today’s article was published at 7.37am on Friday 2 October 2026.