Friday Lucky 15 Tips: Balding looks to have found a good opportunity

Friday already - and some cracking racing today from which to select our Lucky 15. So, without further ado - here's today's suggested offering.

Prices can of course fluctuate between publishing our pieces and race-time. As a guide, a £0.50p win Lucky 15 on today's selections, at the prices, and assuming all four were successful, would return around £255 for your total £7.50 stake.

Popular legend confirms that Fred, 'The Bonus King,' invented the 'Lucky' series of bets and their bonuses. Want the lowdown - all the ins and outs? My colleague Adam has set out all you need to know with this handy guide - take a look by clicking here.

12.15 Ascot - Beat The Bat @ 7/4

A maiden hurdle, and our selection is a 5-yr-old gelding in the care of Harry Fry. Jonathan Burke takes the ride.

Beat The Bat has shown bags of ability so far - took a Chepstow bumper in February, and was then highly-tried at Aintree (Grade 2) in the same discipline in April. His seasonal reappearance on hurdles debut was just over 3 weeks ago, and he finished a close second in a big field, again at Chepstow.

Plenty to like about what he's achieved so far and should have a very bright chance today.

15.10 Ascot - Manothepeople @ 4/1

A three-mile Class 3 handicap chase, for 4-yr-olds and upwards.

Manothepeople is 8 rising 9, and has been a great servant to trainer Fergal O'Brien, winning four races. Three miles around here is no cakewalk, but the selection has been highly competitive around top tracks like Chepstow, Newbury and Doncaster.

By Queen's Vase winner Mahler he's bred to stay, and last time at Exeter on seasonal reappearance he was pipped by just a neck, advertising his well-being nicely. The handicapper has rather naughtily had his say and raised him 4lb, but perversely that's rather encouraging, signalling the quality of the form showed.

16.15 Southwell - Grenham Bay @ 5/1

A Class 5 all-weather handicap over 7f on Southwell's Tapeta track.

Grenham Bay is a 3-yr-old gelded son of Dark Angel, trained by Andrew Balding, and ridden by the excellent David Probert. He's got plenty of experience, and has won on a couple of occasions - one of which was off a mark of 75. He's slipped to a very tempting 70 for today's contest, and frequently keeps slightly loftier company.

Often operates at 6f, but is no stranger to 7f and last time ran as if the extra 220 yards was indeed needed. In the old fibresand days it was a real staying test around here at any distance, but even now you've got to dig in up the straight and tough it out.

This one looks to me to have become a little one-paced for 6f at some of the quicker venues, and might just really appreciate this opportunity his outstanding trainer has selected for him later this afternoon.

17.00 Dundalk - Taraj @ 5/4

A one-mile 2-yr-old maiden on Dundalk's Polytrack all-weather surface.

These Friday nights are always very popular in terms of field sizes, and thus competitive racing. My selection Taraj has ten other rivals to handle, but on the basis of two fine career runs to date, both in good company at the Curragh, he's the one to beat.

Trained by the legend that is Dermot Weld, he's a son of the brilliant 2-yr-old champion colt Churchill, and Chris Hayes is on board. Some big yards oppose but this Irish 2000 Guineas entrant should have too much for them all this afternoon.

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