N.H racing at Bangor, Folkestone and Downpatrick (N. Ireland)

Three jumps tracks in action today, and pride of place goes to the Welsh track at Bangor on Dee, which is celebrating its 150th birthday. "The 150 Years of Racing at Bangor on Dee" handicap chase over 3 miles at 16.50 looks booked for Ultimate Limit (Alan Fleming/ Johnny Farrelly), who after 27 months off with imjuries has come back in fine style with 2 easy wins for his young trainer and still looks very well handicapped; he is moving up in grade here, but gets in on a very low weight. Tony McCoy has good prospects of winning the 3 mile handicap hurdle at 17.20 with Jonjo O`Neill´s I´m the Decider, but the interesting one here is top-weight Dom d´Orgeval (David Pipe/ Tom Scudamore). He has been running over fences and has raced only 4 times in the past 2 years, completing the course only once, and well beaten on the other occasion. However he has been competing in top company, and is potentially thrown in at this level. The mares novice hurdle at 16.20 is also interesting. P elican Point (Donald McCain/ Jason Maguire) is a useful performer, but has a double penalty and may not be able to give the weight to Gold Reef (Alan King/ Robert Thornton), behind her last time but now 7 lbs better off, and Flutter Bye (Henry Daly/ Richard Johnson). Otherwise the day is dominated by two so-called Grand Nationals. The Ulster Grand National over 3 1/2 miles at 16.45 at Downpatrick looks very open with 16 runners. News Item (George Stewart/ John Vullen) is a standing dish here; he fell last year, but won the two previous runnings. Selection Box (C. McBratney/ Ruby Walsh) and Beantown (Steve Aherne/ SJ Ferris) and Gripit ´n Tipit (Charlie Swan/ DG Hogan), third and fourth in a similar race at Punchestown last time, woth several of these opponents further back, head the long list of dangers. Ruby Walsh also partners Barker, who makes his debut for Willie Mullins in the novice chase at 17.15, and if he can recover his earlier good hurdles form, he must go close. At Folkestone the Kent National is run over 3 miles 7 furlongs at 17.10 and also looks wide open. The top-weights Lyes Green (Oliver Sherwood/ Dominic Esworth), runner-up to Jass over 4 miles, and Iwillrememberyou (Charlie Longsdon/ Seamus Durack), an early faller in the Eider Chase last Saturday, are obvious contenders, while Maletton (Venetia Williams/ Sam Thomas) and Apatura Dik (Nick Mitchell/ Daryl Jacob), although both moving up in trip, must also be considered. Gallileo Figaro (Neil King/ Alex Merriam) has already won easily twice in the past 6 days and may be able to complete a quick hat-trick in the handicap hurdle at 16.40, but it will not be easy for the mare with a 14 lbs penalty. One who should should complete a hat-trick without too much trouble is Silk Affair (Mick Quinlan/ Tom O´Brien) who looks dfferent class to her opponents in the mares novice hurdle at 15.40.