N.H. racing at Exeter and Newcastle

There are mainly large fields at today´s two jumps meetings, with the ground drying out at both tracks, but some rain possible at Exeter. The main event here is the Devon National over 3 3/4 miles at 16.30 CET, which looks wide open with 15 runners. Irish-trained Sandhurst (Edgar Byrne/ Sam Thomas) is not particularly well-handicapped, but is still one for the short list, as is consistent Notabotheronme (Philip Hobbs/ Richard Johnson), but the two most interesting runners are top-weight Lysander (Ian Williams/ Michael Murphy) and Samsbro (Vic Dartnall/ Christian Williams). The latter´s stable has been totally out of form, but there are recent positive signs and we shall know from the earlier running of Giles Cross at 15.30 and Minnie Hill half an hour later how the stable´s runners are likely to perform. Samsbro is very well-weighted on his earlier form with Notabotheronme, but our main hope is the German-bred Lysander, who is dropping in grade here and has been running in mu ch better company.

Ruby Walsh is here for only one ride, Our Bomber Harris for Paul Nicholls in the novice hurdle at 15.30, while Tony McCoy is much busier; his best chance could be on Jonjo O´Neill´s Gabreselassie in the handicap hurdle at 17.30. At Newcastle, the smallöest field of 7 runners is in the best race, the handicap chase over 2 1/2 miles at 17.50. Bottom-weight De Boitron (Ferdy Murphy/ Graham Lee) was an easy winner last time at cattreick, but meets runner-up Or de Grugy (Sue Bradburne/ Paddy Aspell) on 10 lbs worse terms, so there could little in it now; course specialist Raining Horse (James Ewart/ Harry Haynes) looks a big danger. The handicap hurdle at 16.50 has 18 runners and is the big betting race here. Viscount Rossini (Steve Gollins/ Rhys Flint) is the logical choice here after his good recent run at Kempton, but be careful of Realism (Mick Easterby/ Oliver Greenall), whose last win was a year ago over this CD, and especially Percussionist (Howard Johnson/ Denis O´Regan); this one ran fourth in the 2004 Derby but has mainly disappinted since, however it is a long since since faced opposition as weak as this.