8 meetings today

Lots of racing today, especially in the evening with 3 meetings in the U.K. and two in Ireland. With the days getting shorter, evening racing on turf will be finished for 2011 by the middle of next week. Newmarket starts off with 4 races for 2yo´s, 3 of them for maidens, and it is likely that there will be smart horses engaged here, although there is very little form to go on. Godolphin have several well-bred debutants entered, and are likely to have some winners, and it is significant that Mikael Barzalona comes over from France to ride. However in our view his best chance is on Mark Johnston´ s Moon Trip in the 2yo handicap at 15.20 CET, who is penalised just 6 lbs for a very easy win last time at Leicester.

Ffos Las stages a mixed meeting today, with 4 flat races followed by 4 over jumps. The 6 furlongs handicap at 16.40 is the best flat race; this looks very tricky, but we would not be suprised to see top-weight Norville (David Evans/ Cathy Gannon) run well at a decent price. Over júmps, the best event is the handicap chase over 3 miles+ at 17.50 and trainer Peter Bowen obviously wants to keep the prize-money in Wales, as he saddles 4 runners. Jockey bookings suggest that Sun Tzu (Tom O´Brien) might be the best of them.

Two German-breds, both trained by Jim Goldie, could go well at Thirsk this afternoon - Soprano (Danny Tudhope), who has won his last 3 races and is in the form of his life at the age of 9, and Daring Dream (Gary Bartley), top-weight in the 7 furlongs handicap at 16.50.

Best race this evening is the historic Lanark Silver Bell, a handicap over 1 1/2 miles at 20.35 at Hamilton (the racecourse at Lanark is long gone). Easy Terms (Edwin Tuer/ James Sullivan) has been in tremendous form this summer and has won his last 4 races, all for this jockey. He has shot up the weights but can still complete a fivetimer.