5 more poor meetings today

Racing continues at a very low level today. Shangani (Venetia Williams/ Aidan Coleman) looks the best bet at Fontwell; he runs in the maiden hurdle at 15.00 CET and the form of his second place to Asaid at Taunton 10 days ago on his British debut should be good enough to win this. Venetia puts her good claimer RT Dunne up on Rigadin de Beauchene in the handicap chase at 16.30; he is unproven at this distance of 3 1/4 miles but his run last time here gives hope that he can manage. Another good claimer in action here is Brendan Powell jun, who can win the handicap hurdle at 17.00 on his father´s Terra Bleu. The handicap chase at 17.30 is a dreadful event, but Delgany Gunner (Neil King/ Alex Merriam) won it last year off the same rating, and although his recent form is poor, he can possibly bring off the double.

The mares novice hurdle at 16.20 is the most interesting race on a dismal Catterick card. Countess Comet (Colin Bealby/ Tom Messenger) is penalised for winning over this CD in January and has since run well on the all-weather. However w are not sure that she can give so mucb weight to the 4yo´ s Kishanda (Gay Kelleway/James Reveley), also an all-weather winner, or to hurdling debutante Ms Cordelia (David Pipe/ Tom Scudamore), while Hidden Identity (Tim Vaughan/ Michael Byrne), easy winner of an Irish bumper before being transferred to this stable, could be the one to beat. There are 4 recent winners in the line-up for the handicap hurdle an hour later, but we expect Flora´s Pride (Keith Reveley/ Edmond Lineham), a very easy winner here over slightly shorter 8 days ago to follow up under a 7 lbs penalty.

There is also N.H. racing in Ireland at Downpatrick, but again the quality is poor and the fields are quite small by Irish standards. Charlies Vic (NC Kelly/ DR Fox) at 15.45 and Spring Lane (Gordon Elliott/ Nina Carberry) in the bumper at 17.45 are two short-priced favourites who should oblige.

The sll-weather cards, at Lingfield this afternoon and Kempton this evening, are also pretty poor. The best race is the 10 furlongs handicap at 19.00 at Kempton; Licence to Till (Mark Johnston/ Joe Fanning) could not handle the ice at St. Moritz, but back on this more orthodox surface can defy top weight and continue the stable´s good run.