Taunton and Wolverhampton

Taunton stage one of their better meetings today and the track is graced by the presence of the top Irish jockeys Ruby Walsh and Barry Geraghty, riding for the Nicholls and Henderson stables respectively. They do not have many rides but we expect them both to be among the winners. The most interesting event is the novice hurdle at 15.40 CET, in which Geraghty partners the unbeaten Darlan, aleading Cheltenham fancy, and although he only just scrambled home last time at Cheltenham, we still expect him to win again. The other penalised runner, Walsh´s mount Jump City, is back in distance here but look the main danger, while Giordano Bruno (Philip Hobbs/ Richard Johnson) could be the fly in the ointment; he was a smart bumper horse 3 years ago but has not run since. The two jockeys go head to head again in the limited handicap chase at 15.10, but here we expect Walsh on Rangitoto to come out on top. The lightly-raced Rangitoto has won his last 3 races and looks capable of furthe r improvement. Master Fiddler (Geraghty) and Balzaccio (AAlan King/ Wayne Hutchinson) are the dangers here. Walsh also has a chance on Tigre d´Aron, who has top weight in the handicap hurdle at 16.10, but this looks an open race and Carrickmines (Dr. Newland/ Johnson), a CD winner on his only start here a month ago, is the selection.

Th crd t Wolvrhmpton i a uual vrypooor. Our eye is taken by Aviso (David Evans/ Matthew Cosham) in the 9 1/2 furlongs handicap at 16.25. He is a long away from the form he showed when winning the German 2,000 Guineas 5 years ago, but must have a chance in this lowly company. Consistent CD specialist Idol Deputy (Mark Usher/ Racheal Kneller) and top-weight Mataajir (Derek Shaw/ Joe Fanning), who has won his last 3 races, are the dangers here. Another ex-Schlenderhan runner is Sommersturm (Barney Curley/ Micky Fenton), who runs half an hour later; his form in the U.K. is too bad to be true and we prefer Arisea (Jimmy Moffatt/ Paul Hanagan), who has shown much improved form over hurdles since he last ran on the flat.