Wednesday´s racing

Once again, plenty of racing, but all at a very low level. The best race of the day is the 1 1/2 mile handicap at Pontefract at 16.40 CET with 7 runners, 3 of them trained by Mark Johnston. His first string would appear to be Chilly Filly (Joe Fanning), who has been first or second all four starts since 2009 and is still nicely handicapped. The two top-weights Highland Glen (Saeed bin Suroor/ Ted Durcan) and Precision Break (Paul Cole/ Jimmy Quinn) ran badly last time out - albeit in better company- so the main danger could be Red Cadeaux (Ed Dunlop/ Richard Mullen). As usual Mark Johnston has runners all over and he could also on the mark at Brighton with Licence to Kill (Kieren Fallon) in the mile handicap at 16.30. This is a very open race, and Conor Dore´s two runners LastkingofScotland (Hayley Turner) and Kipchak (Liam Keniry) must be respected, as well as CD winner Cheam Forever (Roger Charlton/ Steve Drowne), who seems to be coming back to form, and Kavachi representi ng the powerful combination of Gary Moore and his son Ryan.

There are only 6 runners in the 5 furlongs handicap for 3yo´s at Newcastle at 16.20, but iti is still quite tricky. Top-weight Bronze Beau (Lydia Stubbs/ James Sullivan) is very consistent and should be thereabouts; he finished in front of both Sharp Eclipse (Kevin Ryan( Paul Hanagan) and Bossy Kitty (Nigel Tinkler/ Silvestre de Sousa) at Doncaster recently, but Sharp Eclipse was unlucky that day and may be able to reverse the form. The 7 furlongs handicap half an hour later looks more straightforward and should mainly concern the two last-time out winners Rosko (Brian Ellison/ Dale Swift) and Rasselas (David Nicholls/ Billy Cray).

At Kempton this evening Andrew Balding and David Probert can land a double in the 3yo handicaps at 21.05 and 21.35 with Elvira Madigan and Tartan Trip respectively, though there is plenty of opposition in both races, while Willie Musson´s Broughtons Point (Jamie Mackay) can follow up his recent CD victory by taking the stayers handicap at 20.50 at Yarmouth; Barney Curley´s Allanit (Micky Fenton) runs here under topweight, but the ex-Schlenderhan runner has shown very little so far in England - which may not mean too much with this trainer.
In Ireland there is evening racing at Sligo, and Dermot Weld, who is enjoying a tremendous season, can land a double here with Catalpa Sail in the opening 2yo maiden at 19.00 and Stroke of Love in the 3yo fillies handicap at 20.30, both partnered by stable jockey Pat Smullen.