4 meetings today

4 meetings today, but nothing of overwhelming importance. The best racing is over jumps at Navan in Ireland, but the going there will be very heavy (as it is also at the U.K. jumps meeting at Southwell). Main event is the Grade C novoices handoivap chase over 3 mjiles at 17.15 CET. Murchu (Shark Hanlon/ Andrew McNamara) ran an excellent race only 8 days ago when runner-up in the Leinster National.

Connections would like to run him in the Irish Grand National, but he will need to improve his rating to get into the field, so they need a good performance today. Wise Oscar (Dessie Hughes/ Bryan Cooper) is much improved and has won last two races, including this CD a fortnight ago; he looks the main danger in an open race. Otherwise Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh can continue their winning run and take the first two races here with the very promising Suntiep at 15.15 and City Slicker, beaten here at odds-on last time, half an hour later.

There are small fields at Southwell and the card is not very punter-friendly. The best race here is the 2 mile handicap hurdle at 17.40. The lightly-raced maiden Massena (Venetia Williams/ Aidan Coleman) is the top-weight here and also the likely favourite; he might be good enoiugh, but we prefer Marino Prince (Jody Foster/ Samantha Drake), who is very inconsistent but ran well last time in better company at Doncaster and is also a CD winner.

The two British all-weather meetings are both very low grade. Two German-breds that might run well at a decent price are Ordensritter (Chris Down/ Jemma Marshall) in the 2 mile handicap at 17.50 at Kempton - he has been hurdling with little success, but is on a handy mark in this feeble company- and the 10yo Acatenango mare Tyrana (Ian Williams/ Robert Tart) in the fillies handicap over 1 1/2 miles at 18.00 at Wolverhampton. She is relatively lightly-raced and is racing from the first time since last summer - also over hurdles- but has the assistance of the hottest apprentice around.