Dundalk, Musselburgh and Wolverhampton

Musselburgh stages the penultimate grass flat meeting of thre year in the U.K. this afternoon, whiule there is also all-weather action this evening at Wolerhampton and Dundalk. The Irish track has easily the best card, featuring a listed race over 10 1/2 furlongs at 20.40 CET. Thee is a maximum field of 14 runners, plus 2 reserves, and the likely favourite is the sole British runner, Sir Mark Prescott´s Soft Morning (Declan McDonogh), who won a similar race on Deauville´s fibresand track almost a year ago and was recently a close third in a Group Three at Gowran Park. Best of the locals should be Varsity (Charlie Swan/ Fran Berry) and Fiery Lad (Ger Lyons/ Eamonn McNamara). The 2yo maiden over a mile at 21.10 also looks interesting, with entries from most of the top stables. Aidan O´Brien holds a strong hand here with Sirgarfieldsobers, an own brother to Derby winner Authorized and the choice of stable jockey Johnny Murtagh, and Viceroy of India (Colm O´Donoghue). At Musselbu rgh this afternoon, the class 4 handicap over 5 furlongs at 16.00 promises to be an exciting race. Milton Bradley saddles his two veterans Cape Royal (David Allan) and The Tatling (Neil Brown), both last-time-out winners and they could be in the shake-up again, although Jim Goldie (4 runners) and Karl Burke (2) will try to make it difficult. Best race here is the 2 mile handicap at 16.30, but the two top-weights Bolin Felix (Tim Easterby/ David Allan) -no chance in the Cesarewitch, but his previous form was good enough - and the improving Merchant of Dubai (Alan Swinbank/ PJ McDonald), winner of 3 of his last 4 races and now stepped up in trip, look the likeliest candidates. German-bred Los Nadis (Peter Monteith/ Paul Hanagan) could be an each-way alternative, and another German-bred Windshuffle has a good chance to defy top weight in the 9 furlongs handicap half an hor later. Main interest at Wolverhampton will be to see if David Probert can land a winner and thus become ch ampion apprentice. He is cuirrently tied at 50-50 with fellow Andrew Balding trainee William Buick, but the latter must sit out the final 2 days of the season with a suspension.