5 meetings today

The best race today is the 6 furlongs handicap at 16.10 CET at Pontefract and with 13 runners engaged this looks very tricky. Hoof It (Mick Easterby/ Kieren Fallon), owned by golfer Lee Eastwood, is the likely favourite after winning 4 times last season, but he is now on a very high mark and his best form is all at 5 furlongs. Discanti (Tim Easterby/ David Allan) looks dangerous off bottom weight, while 10yo Flipando (David Barron/ Graham Gibbons), is not the most consistent but always capable of winning in this grade. However our choice is Internationaldebut (Micky Fenton), one of two runners saddled by Paul Midgley, who always run well at this track and was runner-up in a large field on his seasonal debut at Doncaster.The other interesting race here is the marathon handicap over 2 miles 5 furlongs at 16.40. Top-weight Markington (Peter Bowen/ Fallon) has been hurdling, like several of these, but is a course specialist and should go close. Descaro (David O´Meara/ Silv estre de Sousa) won here last time over 2 1/4 miles, with 5 of these opponents behind; he has gone up 4 lbs for that, and we give slight preference to Chocolate Caramel (Richard Fahey/ Paul Hanagan), 5th on that occasion, whose trainer and jockey are currently enjoying a purple patch.

The remaining 3 flat meetings today are very low on quality. At Southwell this afternoon, Masai Moon (Rod and James Millman), who has been off the track for 10 months, might be capable of winning the 7 furlongs handicap at 17.30, while Spirit of Coniston (Midgley/ Tony Culhane), who has not won for ages, showed signs of returning to form last time and could take the 5 furlongs handicap at 16.00.

There is also poor all-weather racing this evening at Wolverhampton, while on turf Bath reopens for the season, also in the evening. With no rain for weeks and no watering system, the ground at Bath will be very fast. The most popular winner of the day would undoubtedly be the 14yo The Tatling, having his 155th start in the 5 1/2 furlongs hanmdovap at 20.30. Trainer Milton Bradley is expected to retire the old boy once he has scored his 17th career victory. This is certainly possible this evening, but not probable.

The only jumps racing today is at Fontwell, again with very little quality. The 2 1/4 miles handicap chase at 17.50 could go to Bid Art (Jamie Snowden/ Daryl Jacob), who won the race last year and looked like winning last time before falling two out.