Fakenham, Folkestone and Southwell (a.w.)

It is not often that Folkestone stages the best races, but that is the case today, and the handicap chase over 2 miles 5 furlongs there at 15.40 CET is not only the most valuable but also the best contested event today. With 15 runners it is wíde open and our short list includes Ammunition (Nigel Twiston-Davies/ Paddy Brennan), from a team bang in form, consistent William Bonney (Charlie Mann/ Noel Fehily), Pauillac (David Pipe/ Timmy Murphy), who has been off since Cheltenham in March, and Far more Serious (Charlie Longsdon/ Tom Scudamore), who made an excellent comeback from a long break when winning easily 9 days ago. Elsewhere on the card, Sue Alner can land a double with Aegean Dawn (Robert Walford) in the novice hurdle at 14.10 and Vodka Brook (Daryl Jacob) in the novice chase half an hour later, while German-bred Princess Flame (Brendan Powell( Jimmy McCarthy) has a chance in th mares handicap hurdle at 15.10. At Fakenham also there are some German-breeds with good cha nces, including Evening Sunset (Mick Quinlan/ Tony McCoy) in the 3yo hurdle at 15.00 and Weststern (Gary Moore/ Joseph Akehurst) and Andorn (Peter Kirby/ James Revely) in the novice handicap hurdle at 16.30, although possibly Irish raider Stretch the Truth (Tom Taaffe/ Liam Treadwell) will be hard to beat here judging by his latest performance.

There is also flat racing on the all-weather at Southwell. Solicitor (Mark Johnston/ Joe Fanning) looks a good thing to win the 2yo maiden at 14.20, while the mile handicap at 15.50 looks much more difficult. Iron Out (Reg Hollinshead/ Robert Winston) has only one career win in his record, but has been runner-up 8 times and perhaps can get back on the winning trail this time. Consistent The Grey One (Milton Bradley/ Robert Kingscote) and Waahej (Peter Hiatt/ Liam Keniry), dropping back in distance, look two of the main dangers.