5 more poor meetings today

Once again, plenty of racing but all at a low level. Paul Nicholls is usually the trainer to follow at his local track Wincanton, but he has only one runner today - the lightly-raced Grandioso (Daryl Jacob) in the handicap hurdle at 16.00 CET. This is quite an open race, and Grandioso has not run up to expectations so far, but he could certainly win here. Nicky Henderson also has just one runner here - Black Pond (Andrew Tinkler) in the maiden hurdle at 18.10, and he should go close after twice running well, but Old Tricks (Colin and Joe Tizzard) looks a big danger. In fact the Tizzards look the team to follow, as they look certain to win the novice chase at 16.35 with Golden Chieftain and can also take the novice handicap chase at 17.05 with Ceepeegee.

Venetia Williams has runners here, but she sends her stable jockey Aidan Coleman north to Carlisle, and he can win here on Ballyoliver at 16.15 and Sustainability at 16.45. Sustainability is lightly-raced and looks to have further improvement in him and rates as our best bet today. It could be a good day for lady trainers at Carlisle, as we also fancy course specialist Teenando (Sue Smith/ Jonathan England), who will love the testing ground, in the stayers chase at 17.20 and another who always runs well here, Banoge (Rose Dobbin/ Keith Renwick), who can defy top weight in the handicap chase over 2 miles half an hour later.

There is also Irish jumps racing at Clonmel, where we would fancy German-bred Narima (Mervyn Torrens/ Mark Enright) in the mares handicap hurdle at 16.05 as long as the ground is not too heavy. Willie Mullins can take the first two races here, both maiden hurdles, with Quaquo de Flotte (Ruby Walsh) at 15.05 and Primroseandblue (Paddy Mullins) half an hour later.

The two all-weather meetings, at Southwell this afternoon and Wolverhampton this evening, offer very little in the way of betting opportunities with cards of low-grade races contested mainly by horses that have been running against each other with varying results all winter. At Southwell we recommend a small each-way bet on Sir Geoffrey (Scott Dixon/ Freddie Tylicki) in the 5 furlongs sprint at 18.00; anything could win this, but he is drawn 11 of 11, and the outside draw is often a big advantage here. At Wolverhampton Rosby Waves can continue the winning run of trainer Mark Johnston and jockey Joe Fanning in the 3yo handicap over an extended mile at 20.40. She won her only start over a shorter distance here 3 weeks ago; that form does not amount to much, but the stable´s runners often show marked improvement on their second outing.