Bath, Musselburgh and Newton Abbot

Flat racing this afternoon comes from Bath and Musselburgh, while there is N.H. racing at Newton Abbot, where Paul Nicholls´ Ofarel d´Airy (Nick Scholfield) can atone for this recent defeat at 2-1 on by taking the opening novices hurdle at 15.20 CET. Best race here is the class 3 handicap hurdle at 16.50, in which course specialist Critical Stage (Jimmy Frost/ Tony McCoy) seems the logical selection. At Musselburgh the 5 furlongs claimer at 16.10 is contested by a number of oldtimers well past their sell-by date. 9yo Fire Up the Band (Alan Berry/ Fergal Lynch), 9y0 Funfare Wane (David and Adrian Nicholls) and 12yo Blackheath (S.Mason/ Kelly harrison) were in younger days all at home in much better company, but are seemingly unable to run anywhere that level nowadays. Whinhill House (Derek Barker/ Robert Winson) is a relative youngster at 8 and has decent form to his credit, so he is the choice here. Best race at Bath is the fillies handicap over 1mile 5 furlongs at 16.00. Spring Dream (Alan King/ Richard Hughes) won this last year and meets her recent conqueror Rose Row (Mary Hambro/ Hayley Turner) on 3 pounds better terms. There are17 runners in the 6 furlongs handicap at 16.30, but German-bred Misaro (Ron Harris/ Hadden Frost) seems a sporting each-way bet. He won 4 races in the early summer of 2007 and seems to be coming back to form.