5 bad meetings today

5 meetings today, but nothing much of consequence. The most interesting race is the10 furlongs handicap at 17.20 CET at Yarmouth, but this sets punters quite a problem, as ex-French Satwa Pearl (Ed Dunlop/ Kieren Fallon), not seen since winning on Deauville´s all-weather track in March, and Roger Varian´s very lightly-raced Rock my Soul (Neil Callan) are very difficult to assess.

Both come from top stables and must be respected, but we prefer top-weight Piano (John Gosden/ William Buick), who has finished in the money on all career starts and was possibly not suited by the way the race was run when a beaten favourite last time at Haydock.

The mile handicap for 3yo´s at 16.40 at Warwick is another open affair. The problem here is that only two runners have recent form- Tadfeya (Mark Johnston/ Richard Hills) and Ektibaas (Barry Hills/ Seb Sanders), both owned by Hamdan al Maktoum. As Hills is the owner´s main jockey, we can assume that his mount is the main hope. However top-weights Sagramore (Hughie Morrison/ Steve Drowne) and Whaileyy (Sir Michael Stoute/ Ryan Moore) could both be dangerous.

Barry Hills also has good prospects of landing a double at Beverley, with Hail Promenader in the mile handicap at 17.00 and Power Punch in the 4yo maiden half an hour later, both with Robert Winston in the saddle. Taqaat, another Hamdan runner trained by Johnston (who has runners all over the place today) looks the onlydanger to Power Punch. W inston can also win the 5 furlongs handicap on Mel Brittain´s course specialist Caranbola at 16.00; his record over this CD runs 22111.

This evening there is an all amateur riders card over jumps at Sedgefield and racing on the all-weather at Southwell, but, to be honest, neither is worth a second look.