Chester, Nottingham and York

Today´s meeting at York is sponsored by brewery John Smith, and the John Smith´s Cup,a 10 furlongs handicap at 16.15 CET, is the big betting race of the day. 19 likely runners and with the ground heavy after yesterday´s incessant rain, mudlarks will be in demand. Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum has 3 live chances here- likely favourite Mutajarred (Wiölliam Hagas/ Richard Hills), Heaven Knows ( Haggas/Michael Hills) and Ezdiyaad (Marcus Tregoning/ Martin Dwyer), all of whom go well enough in these cnditions, while local trainer Richard Fahey saddles no fewer than 5 runners, including Charlie Tokyo (Jamie Moriarty) and Flying Clarets (Freddie Tylicki), who were first and second last year, also on heavy ground but over a furlong shorter. The listed handicap over 1 3/4 miles at 16.50 is a major trial for the Ebor and the interesting one here is Godolphin´s Eastern Empire (Saeed bin Suroor/ Ted Durcan), who is out of German-bred dual classic winner Kazzia, who loved soft ground. Godolphin also have Empire Day (George Baker), coming off a 600 day break, entered, while Michael Bell´s Gull Wing (Steve Drown) is another to consider. At Chester two listed races are the main features. It looks like a veteran´s event in the 7 furlongs race at 15.25, with 9yo´s Vanderlin (Andrew Balding/ William Buick) and Welsh Emperor (Tom Tate/ Micky Fenton) and 8yo Blythe Knight (John Quinn/ Pat Cosgrave) all fancied, but possibly one of the 2 3yo s in the field Tasdeer (Michael Jarvis/ Dane O´Neill) can strike a blow for the yxounger generations. The two likely favourites for the 5 furlongs sprint at 16.35, Borderlescott (Robin Bastiman/ Pat Cosgrave) and Oldjoesaid (Henry Candy/ Dane O´Neill) are both badly drawn, so possibly Hoh Hoh Hoh (Richard Price / Chris Catlin) can take advantage. At Nottingham, trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam and jockey Tom Queally can land a double with Select in the 2yo fillies maiden at 15.00 and Maria di Scozia in the 1 3/4 miles 3yo handicap at 16.40.