Return of Ruby

With the big York meeing starting tomorrow, there is no point in expecting high class flat racing today. Indeed the most interesting race is probably the hurdle race for 4yo´s at 20.20 CET at Roscommon´s mixed meeting this evening in Ireland. Ted Walsh´s Hail Caesar is the likely winner here; after an easy win at Ballinrobe he was an excellent runner-up to a Dermot Weld hotpot at Galway and meets nothing of that calibre here.

What is especially interesting is that he will be partnered by the trainer´s son Ruby, making his comeback after breaking his arm at Aintree on Grand National day. He will probably start at an unrealistic price but the main thing is to see Ruby back in action and, we hope, on a winner!

Best race in the U.K. is the 3yo handicap over 7 furlongs at 17.00 at Kempton, with several horses in top form engaged. Both Katakosi (Andrew Balding/ Jimmy Fortune) and The Confessor (Henry Candy/ Dane O´Neill) have won their last three races and have gone up in the weights accordingly. The consistent Mass Rally (John Gosden/ Willim Buick) now meets the former on 7 lbs better terms and is an obvious danger, as is Avenuesandalleyways (Ralph Beckett/ Richard Kingscote), a very easy York winner last time out.

The other afternoon is also on the all-weather, at Wolverhampton. Top event here is the 6 furlongs handicap at 16.15, in which Gouray Girl (Walter Swinburn/ Eddie Ahern) makes her belated seasonal debut. She won here on her debut last year and then finished runner-up on her other 3 starts, including when beaten a head in a hot 20 runner nursery at Doncaster in November. If she is back in that form she will take a lot of beating here. For those who prefer to back runners with recent form, we recommend Arabian Mirage (Brian Meehan/ Kieren Fallon). Bst bet at this meeting is Layali Al Arab (Saeed bin Suroor/ Frankie Dettori), in the maiden at 17.15, with the Godolphin 2yo´s now really flying. He was beaten as a hot favourite on his recent debut at Beverley but is expected to recover those losses today.

There is also very modest racing this evening in the U.K. at Windsor and Yarmouth but, frankly, our best advice here is to keep your powder dry for the much better racing later in the week at York!