N.H. racing at Bangor, Fairyhouse and Kempton

There is jumps racing today at Fairyhouse in Ireland, Bangor in Wales and Kempton near London, with the last-named track staging the best racing. The Paul Nicholls/ Ruby Walsh bandwagon can keep rolling on, as they have fancied runners in the 3 most interesting races at Kempton. In the opening novice hurdle at 14.05 CET their candidate Tataniano, an easy winner of his only bumper, can score on his hurdles debut, when Shalone (Alan King/ Christian Williams) looks the obvious danger, as he has already won over the sticks. The class 2 graduation chase at 15.50 has only 6 runners but it is a strong field, although the Nicholls/ Walsh runner I´msingingtheblues is the clear favourite after an easy win over this CD a month ago. Nicholls relies on Nakai in the class 2 handicap hurdle at 15.15, but this one has been a bit disappiinting so far and meets some useful opponents, including Duc de Regniere (Nicky Henderson/ Barry Geraghty), top-weight Middleton Dene (Nicky Richards/ Rose Do bbin) and Ringaroses (Henrietta Knight/ Warren Marston), who has a superb jumping pedigree. It is significant that Tony McCoy and Robert Thornton are in action in Bangor rather than Kempton, and the main feature there is the Anne Duchess of Westminster Memorial handicap chase over an extended 3 miles, named after the owner of the great Arkle. This trip will take some getting on the heavy ground, and top-weight Nenuphar Collonges (Alan King/ "Choc") although undoubtedly the class act here, faces a stiff task giving away so much weight. Alright now M´Lad (Jonjo O´Neill/ McCoy) is an obvious threat, but 2006 winner Bob Bob Bobbin (Colin and Joe Tizzard), running for the first time since Cheltenham, could be the one to beat if anywhere near peak fitness. At Fairyhouse, there are maximum fields in almost all races, but suprisingly only 7 go to post for the beginners chase pver 3 miles at 16.45. This looks a reklatively weak race and can go to Fond of a Drop (Dessie Hughes/ Pady Flood). The beginners chase half an hour earlier over slightly shorter has 16 runners and could be won by Knocknagow (Edward O´Grady/ Andrew McNamara).