5 meetings today

5 meetings today, all of them flat racing and 3 of them on the all-weather. Easily the best card is at Nottingham, where the main feature is the listed race over 1 3/4 miles at 16.40 CET, which has attracted a strong field. Dandino (Kieren Fallon), now trained by James Fanshawe, is top-rated, but his form is a bit in-and-out, including an unplaced effort at Hoppegarten behind Danedream. German-bred Zuider Zee (John Gosden/ William Buick) finished 2011 by winning the November Handicap, but this is a step up in class. The 4yo´s Eternal Heart (Mark Johnston/ Joe Fanning), Solar Sky (Sir Henry Cecil/ Tom Queally) and Parlour Games (Mahmood al Zarooni/ Frankie Dettori) are also moving up but certainly look as if they are up to this grade. This is a very open affair and we give a tentative vote to Eternal Heart, who stayed on well when winning at Doncaster 10 days ago and whose stable continues in excellent form.

The conditions race over 5 furlongs at 15.40 also has some group-class entries and we fancy here the top-weight Dinkum Diamond (Henry Candy/ Buick). Theoretically he should not defeat Triple Aspect (Jeremy Gask/ Liam Jones) at these weights, but we feel that he can improve still further. Buick has another good chance on top-weight Robemaker (Gosden) in the mile handicap at 18.10. but he has little in hand of Oriental Scot (Willie Jarvis/ Dettori), based on their form together at Haydock last September.

The other turf meeting is at Catterick, where we think that top-weight Chilly Filly (/Brian Ellison/ Barry McHugh) is the safest option in a very open 1 1/2 mile handicap16.30. Of the all-weather races today, the 3yo maiden over 10 furlongs at 17.20 at Lingfield could be the most interesting, with runners from some of the top stables. Dartford (Gosden/ Robert Havlin) has a fitness advantage and could be the solution.

Nottingham - betting forecast:
1. Race: Dreamy Ciara - Black Monk - Yes Two
2. Race: Jonny Mudball - Dinkum Diamond - Triple Aspect
3. Race: Lesotho - Red Senor - Personal Touch
4. Race: Dandino - Blue Bajan - Solar Sky
5. Race: Moataz - It`s A Girl Thing - Spirit Na Heireann
6. Race: Joyful Spirit - Renegotiate - Sheila`S Buddy
7. Race: Robemaker - Neutrafa - Prince Of Burma
8. Race: Brailsford - The Giving Tree - Drummond