Ascot, Exeter and Musselburgh

3 jumps meetings this afternoon in the U.K., wth the Ascot fixture offering the best sport, with most of the top trainers and jockeys in action. Quite a few high class performers have been entered and we are especially interested in the hurdles debut of smart bumper horse Megastar (Gary and Jamie Moore) at 15.10 CET. This is no pushover, and useful flat handicapper (Mark Tompkins/Colin Bolger)- who won the Lincoln in 2008 and is owned by Oscar winning actor Judi Dench - as well as Koup de Kanon (Emma Lavelle/ Sam Thomas both look dangerous. Lavelle amd Thomas also have a good chance in the beginners chase at 14.35, but this looks quite open, despite the small field, and Fredo (Ian Williams/ Tom Scudamore), with his German pedigree, and the highly-rated Master of the Hall (Nicky Henderson/ Barry Geraghty) must both be taken seriously. The handicap hurdle which closes proceedings at 16.50 looks at the mercy of Aegean Dawn (Henderson/ David Bass). The still unbeaten gelding trot ted up last week at Cheltenham, and as that was a conditional riders event (same jockey as today up), he has no penalty, although the handicapper has put him up by 6 lbs for future races. The also lightly-raced Mille Chief (Alan King/ Wayne Hutchinson) should run well, as should top-weight Afsoun (Neil King/ Alex Merriam), who in his younger days was placed in the Champion Hurdle.

At Exeter, where the ground is expected to be heavy after yesterday´s deluge, we like the prospects of German-bred Sullumo (Charlie Mann/ Noel Fehily) in the 3 mile handicap hurdle at 14.15. Below form when last seen, he should be raring to go now after a break of 8 months. Fehily can complete a double with Paul Nicholls´ Watamu Bay in the novice chase at 14.50, a race which the stable has won for the past 3 years.

Irish-trained runners usually do well when they raid the Scottish tracks, and we expect Almayan (Adrian McGuinness/ Keith Donoghue) in the handicap hurdle at 13.55, and Michelle´s Express (Tony Martin/ Johnny Farrelly) in the novice hurdle at 15.35, both to run well, even though neither is exactly thrown in at the weights.