Only jumping today

The idiotic race planning in the U.K. is once again apparent today, as after a Saturday with 7 flat meetings, including three top fixtures, we now have a Sunday with only 3 modest N.H. fixtures. Champion jockey Tony McCoy travels to Southwell where he has winning chances on all 4 mounts. His best prospect is undoubtedly Jonjo O´Neill´s Chesapeake in the novice chase at 15.50 CET.

He was easily the best of these over hurdles and got off to a good start over fences by winning well at Worcester. McCoy can also score on Donald McCain´s Cygnet in the selling hurdle at 16.50, John Jenkins´Hi Tide half an hour later and in the concluding bumper at 18.50 on Keith Goldsworthy´s Kanturk.

The latter´s task is made easier by the fact that forecast favourite Jive Master (Tim Vaughan/Michael Byrne) runs instead at 18.10 at Perth. This one looks a very promising recruit judging by the way he won at Newton Abbot and can run up a sequence. He should certainly win today, when Incas Article (Gordon Elliott/ Jason Maguire) looks the only danger, Otherwise Elliott and Maguire can clean up here with 5 fancied runners in the other 6 races and it would be a big disappointment if the trainer travels back to Ireland without at least a couple of winners in the bag.

Paul Nicholls is always very quiet in the summer months, but his two runners at Stratford, Spock (Daryl Jacob) at 15.30 and Hoo la Baloo (James Cowley) at 16.30 could both win again, even though their last-time-out success were not particularly impressive. The handicap hurdle here at 16.00 can go to top-weight Brunston (Nicky Henderson/ Andrew Tinkler), a useful flat horse who is also making a name for himself over sticks. Best bet here is Smart Freddy (Lawnay Hill/ David Bass) in the opening novice hurdle at 15.00, who showed much improved form to win last time and has nothing much to beat today.