Market Rasen, Warwick and Kelso

There are 3 N.H. meetings in Britain today, but for obvious reasons the quality is mainly modest. Tony McCoy is in great form and rode another 3 winners yesterday. He now travels to Market Rasen and can land a double with Jonjo O´Neill´s Phoudamour, who has ex-French Quentin Collonges (Henry Daly/ Richard Johnson) to beat in the novice hurdle at 15.45 CET, and Henrietta Knight´s Ballycarney in the 3 mile handicap hurdle half an hour later. Minella Boys (Tim and Robert Walford) is the likely favourite here, but he has gone up sharply in the weights after two easy wins on very heavy ground in January. McMurrough (Malcolm Jefferson/ Phil Kinsella), a decent bumper horse who has run respectably in good company on both hurdles starts, looks the best bet on this card; he runs in the novice hurdle at 17.45.

At Warwick Kilbeggan Blade (Rhys Flint) can continue the winning run of trainer Tom George in the novice hurdle over 3 miles 1 furlong at 15.35. He has won his last 3 races, and although he concedes 12 lbs all round, looks well up to this task. The stayers handicap chase at 17.35 looks wide open, and any one of the 7 runners could win. Keenans Future (Ian Williams/ Michael Murphy) was a game runner-up this CD last time, but we give slight preference to the top weights Gaora Lane (Charlie Mann/ Noel Fehily) and Durante (Jim Old/ Jason Maguire); the latter is still a maiden after 18 starts, but has been runner-up several times, including thrice here.

At Kelso Bow School (Howard Johnson/ Denis O´Regan) has an obvious chance in the novices handicap chase at 16.25; he has been off the track since November, but was very consistent before, and has presumably been waiting for better ground. It is still soft everywhere today, with more showers expected, but nowhere near as heavy as was the case a month ago. Peter Monteith´s pair German-bred First Look (James Halliday) and Marcel (Graham Lee) will also appreciate better going in the handicap hurdle at 16.55, with Gringo (Howard Johnson/ O´Regan) probably the main danger. The handicap chase over 3 miles 1 furlong at 17.25 should involve mainly top-weigt Wild Cane Ridge (Len Lungo/ Brian Harding) and consistent Bold Ransom (Keith and James Reveley), who has been placed on all his starts this season.