5 bad meetings today

The week starts off on a low note, with very moderate sport at all 4 British meetings. At Ayr this afternoon there are mainly small fields, short on both quantity and quality. The fillies handicap over 6 furlongs at 15.30 CET should mainly concern Timeless Elegance (Howard Johnson/ Dale Swift), in th money all starts this season, and bottom weight Eternal Instinct (Jim Goldie/ Gary Bartley), back to form with an easy win here over 5 furlongs last week. Should the latter run well, that would be an obvious pointer to the chances of Arriva la Diva (Linda Perratt/ Paul Hanagan) in the next race, who was runner-up to her last week.

Two short-priced favourites could oblige at Ffos Las, the Queen´s Straight Walk (Roger Charlton/ Steve Drowne) in the fillies maiden over 1 1/2 miles at 15.20, and Dream of Dawn (MIck Channon/ Hugh Bowman) in the 6 furlongs maiden at 16.20. Both ran well enough last time against better opposition to score here. Crocus Rose (Harry Dunlop/ Jimmy Quinn) also ran well in better class last time and must have a leading chance in the 1 3/4 miles handicap at 17.20, but we prefer Praxiteles (Rebecca Curtis/ Jean-Pierre Guillambert), who has a 6 lbs penalty for a very easy win over 2 miles at Bath 5 days ago.

Sir Mark Prescott and his stable jockey Seb Sanders might land a double at Wolverhampton this evening with Final Liberation in the 3yo handicap over 1 3/4 miles at 20.20 and Arabian Heights in the 9 1/2 furlongs maiden at 21.50, both beaten favourites last time out who could recover losses here.

At Windsor this evening, the fillies mile handicap at 21.10 looks the best race. Hurricane Lady (Walter Swinburn/ Eddie Ahern) can complete a hat-trick here; she still looks quite leniently handicapped. Unexposed Totheendsofthearth (Sylvester Kirk/ Ryan Moore), third on all 3 career starts, looks the main danger; it is interesting that Ryan rides this one rather than partner his father´s top-weight Red Yarn, who will now be partnered by George Baker.

If there are classy horses running today, they can only be found at the Irish meeting at Killarney, where there is a mixed card of 4 flat races, and one hurdle race, one chase and one bumper. Our best bet here is the ex-German Schelm (Ronnie O´Leary/ Paul Carberry), who attempts to repeat his 2010 victory in the 2 mile 1 furlong chase at 21.00. He has to concede weight to all the others here, but he is a reliable performer in this grade and can win this for the second time.