3 N.H. meetings today

Tuesday is usually the weakest day of the week and today is no exception, with 3 low-grade N.H. meetings on the menu. It is however significant that Ruby Walsh is in England for just one ride, the ex-French Elenika for Paul Nicholls in the beginners chase at 15.40 CET at Huntingdon. The obvious danger is another ex-French runner Rajhdhani Express (Nicky Henderson/ Sam Waley-Cohen), but with the Nicholls stable in such good form, we definitely prefer Elenika. Royale Knight (Dr. Richard Newland/ Tom O´Brien) at 14.10 and Valdez (Alan King/ Robert Thornton) at 15.10 are two more short-priced favourites who should win here.

Those who follow jockeys will also have cottoned on to the fact that Tony McCoy is riding at Lingfield. He has a couple of other mounts, but his main reason for being there is undoubtedly Jonjo O´Neill´s Lookout Mountain in the novice hurdle at 15.00. The 4yo runs in the colours of Derrick Smith, more familiar on the flat through the exploits of Camelot & co., and was odds-on for his bumper debut in May in Ffos Las, winning easily on heavy ground, which he will encounter again today. There are some promising types in this field, but we expect Lookout Mountain to win and go on to better things. There is also a novelty race here - the handicap hurdle at 15.30 for professional flat jockeys. Jamie Goldstein, who rides Lindsay´ s Dream for Zoe Davison, has a dual license and has ridden plenty of winner over the sticks, but none of the other jockeys has ever done so. Miss Exhibitionist (SAlan King/ Fergusd Sweeney) is certain to start favourite here, but aöthough sjhe has a string ofg places to her credit, she jhads never actually won a trace and is nnot cetrtain to lkike the ground. Our preference is for top-weight Light the World (Richard Phillips/ Rab Havlin) and Rosoff (Laura and Ian Mongan), both of whom have won on heavy going.

The card at Sedgefield is very uninspiring. Two course specialists Schinken Otto (Malcolm Jefferson/ Harry Haynes) and Gavroche Gauguin ( Ferdy Murphy/ Tony Kelly) meet in the 2 1/2 mile handicap chase at 14.50, but both are better over shorter. Best bet here is the one-time smart flat performer Petara Bay (Sophie Leech/ Noel Fehily) in the novice hurdle at 14.20.

Huntingdon - betting forecast:
1. Race: Royale Knight - Whitcombe Spirit - Sweet Prince
2. Race: Preuty Boy - Kauto The Roc - Honest John
3. Race: Valdez - Softsong - St Ignatius
4. Race: Elenika - Rajdhani Express - Boruler
5. Race: Synthe Davis - Countess Comet - Ruby Crown
6. Race: Keppel Isle - Nurse Ratched - Munro Bagger