All-weather racing at Southwell and Wolverhampton

It looks as if the all-weather meetings at Southwell this afternoon and Wolverhampton this evening will save the day for British racing, but the quality on offer at both tracks looks very poor. It is very rare for Ireland´s champion jumps trainer Willie Mullins to have runners on the flat in Britain, and his Phantasy Pick (Franny Norton), who ran well at Dundalk last time, has an obvious chance in the 3yo handicap over 1 mile 3 furlongs at 14.35 CET at Southwell. The claiming race here half an hour later over 6 furlongs should be dominated by Confuchias (Pat Eddery/ Robert Winston) and Total Impact (Richard Fahey/ Tony Hamilton), who stand out on ratings. Topcroft (Derek Shaw/ Sam Hitchcott) won here yesterday, and if he turns out again can complete a quick fourtimer in the 3yo mile handicap at 16.15.

Several of the jockeys riding here move on to the evening meeting at Wolverhampton, and Robert Winston has another good chance in the main event, a 7 furlongs handicap at 20.50, on Alan Bailey´s consistent Autumn Blades. He meets Arteus (Jane Capple-Ham/ Shane Kelly), who completed a hat-trick when beating him here last time, on 5 lbs better terms. However this is quite a tricky race with many possibilities, including Irish challenger and top-weight Mirandas Girl (Tom Cleary/ Emmett McNamara), who has fair form in hot Dundalk handicaps, and bottom-weight Istiqdaam (Mick Easterby/ Graham Gibbons), an easy CD winner in a lower grade lst time.