3 poor meetings today

N.H. racing today at Exeter and Kempton and all-weather flat racing at Southwell, but all 3 meetings are very low level.
Paul Nicholls is ending the jumps season with a flourish and can take the first 2 races at Exeter with the penalised Themilanhorse (Harry Derham) at 15.30 CET and Oscarslad (Daryl Jacob) at 16.00, although Imperial Circus (Philip Hobbs/ Richard Johnson) could be a danger in the latter event.

In any case we think that the Hobbs/ Johnson team has a good chance of winning the marathon chase at 16.30 with top-weight Fairoak Lad, who made a satisfactory comeback last month after 17 months off and is well handicapped on his old form.

Lady Herries does not have many runners over jumps, but German-bred Geneva Geyser (Leighton Aspell) looked useful when winning 3 races over sticks last summer; he has not been seen since he finished tailed off in October, but reappears in the handicap hurdle at 17.50 at Kempton. Assuming he is back to form, he has as good a chance as any in this large field, especially as he will get the fast ground he needs. We also like Alison Thorpe´s lightly-raced filly Dark Spirit off bottom-weight in the 4yo handicap hurdle here at 17.20.

The card at Southwell is pretty awful, but CD specialist Punching (Conor Dore/ Hayley Turner) could take the 6 furlongs seller at 16.40. He ran out an easy winner of a similar race here a week ago with 3 of these runners behind and meets them all on similar terms.