Leicester and Ludlow

At least we have two jumps meetings today, even if the standard is very modest. Venetia Williams has been in tremendous form all winter, and we think that she can have winners at both meetings. She sends her stable jockey Aidan Coleman to Ludlow, where he can take the novice chase at 15.10 CET on Sustainability. The pair also have a chance wirth the mare Rydalis in the handicap chase at 16.10, although this does not look easy under top weight, while Coleman has another winning chance on David Evans´ 4yo Annaluna in the handicap hurdle at 15.40 - another very open race. Also at Ludlow, we hope that Rachel King can win the amateur riders handicap hurdle at 16.40 on Mark Bosley´s Drussell; the pair teamed up to win a similar event over this CD in December.

Liam Treadwell rides Venetia´s runners at Leicester, and he can score on Reginaldinho in the handicap chase at 16.00; this one showed much improved form to win over this CD 3 weeks ago, and 9 lbs extra weight may not stop him going in again. The very consistent Ballyoliver - 2 wins and 8 places from his last 11 runs- could be another winner for the Williams/ Treadwell combination half an hour later, but this is a very tricky race, and on balance we prefer top-weight Ikorodo Road (M Sheppard/ Charlie Poste), who has been running in stronger races. Best thing here is Module (Tom George/ Paddy Brennan) in the novice chase at 15.30; a useful hurdler, this one could be a Cheltenham candidate and meets very feeble opposition here, and is likely to start at long odds-on.

There is also flat racing on the all-weather at Kempton this evening. The card includes 2 class 7 races, in which the form is so unreliable as to be useless. The "best" race is the 7 furlongs handicap at 20.20, where several runners have recent form. We like Docofthebay (Scott Dixon/ Tom McLaughlin), who seeems to be coming back to form; he has run badly on his previous starts here, but is now very well handicapped and his trainer is now doing much better.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Little Dutch Girl - King Of Dudes - Sky Khan
2. Race: Heez A Cracker - Sustainability - Tom Du Lys
3. Race: Cool Cascade - Ussee - Annaluna
4. Race: Father Probus - Addiction - Rydalis
5. Race: Nowurhurlin - Ajman - Drussell
6. Race: Angles Hill - Speedy Tunes - High Ville
7. Race: Centasia - Oscar Hoof - Sealous Scout