Four jumps meetings today

There is N.H. racing today at Haydock, Newton Abbot and Carlisle in the UK and Cork in Ireland, but for a holiday Saturday the quality is very poor. The feeblest racing is in fact at Newton Abbot, so it is surprising that champion Tony McCoy goes there for just 2 rides, Opatja for Irish trainer Gordon Elliott in the mares maiden hurdle at 15.10 CT, and Galaxy Rock for Jonjo O´Nill in thr handicap hurdle at 16.50. Galaxy Rock is on a hat-trick and will probably start at short odds; an interesting alternative at a big price could be German-bred Federstar (Milton Harris/ Charlie Poste), very unlucky last time, and the same team has another German-bred with each-way chances in Speedy Directa at 17.55. Other German-breds are in action at Haydock, where Acambo (David Pipe/ Timmy Murphy) and Stellino (Nicky Henderson/ Barry Geraghty) are the two top-weights in the handicap hurdle at 16.30. Both have had their problems however and might need softer going, so hat-trick seeking Izita S tar (Marie King/ Tom Scudamore) is the safer option. Fredo (Ian Williams/ Tom Scudamore) is Irish-bred but has a German pedigree and can take the novice handicap hurdle at 15.55, but recent CD winner Danny Zuko (Donald McCain/ Paul Benson) looks very dangerous getting tons of weight all round. Best race at Carlisle is the 3 mile handicap chase at 16.25, where our fancy is Noir et Vert (Ferdy Murpohy/ Keith Mercer), a CD winner who has been out of form but is now nicely treated. Bottom-weight Royal Mackintosh (A Mactaggart/ Brian Harding), a real CD specialist, would be dangerous if the ground softens, which looks unlikely. Later on Jonjo O´Neill could land a double with Isn´t That Lucky in the novice chase at 16.55 and German-bred Soprano in the handicap chase at 18.05. There are more German-breds at Cork, and Der Spieler in the opening maiden hurdle at 15.30 probablöy has the best chance of them.