3 jumps meetings today

After yesterday´s all flat programme, we have jumps racing today at Kempton and Exeter in the U.K. as well as Fairyhouse in Ireland, while the only flat racing is a very poor meeting on the all-weather at Southwell. The best racing comes from Kempton, where the listed mares handicap hurdle at 17.00 CET is the main event. Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh, fresh from their great win in Japan at the weekend, run Unika la Reconce here and she obviously has a good chance; last time out she was second to the useful Rathlin at Clonmel and would have won but for making a mistake at the last. She shares top weight with the very consistent Call me a Star (Alan King/ Wayne Hutchinson), an easy winner at Doncaster last time but facing better opposition here. Mickie (Henry Daly/ Jake Greenall) and Natural Spring (Suzy Smith/ Paddy Brennan) are two more reliable mares who won last time out, but at these weights we fancy Miss Ballantyne, one of three Nicky Henderson runners and the choice of s table jockey Barry Geraghty. She is also up in grade after winning at Huntingdon in February, but it could be that the handicapper has let her in lightly here. Also at Kempton we are interested in the chances of ztwo German-breds, who have below form on the very soft ground we have had for most of the season so far, but as they are both out of Surumu mares, should appreciate the better ground now: Double Handful (Lawnay Hill/ David Bass) at 17.35 and Eleazar (Lucy Wadham/ Leighton Aspell) at 18.10 are both likely to start at very long odds and could be worth a small each-way bet.

The best race at Exeter is the handicap chase over 3 3/4 miles at 16.00, with numerlous specialists in the line-up, inclkuding Sea Saffron (Siue Gardner/ Matt Griffiths), who won the race last year, and The Clyda Rover (Heloern Nelmes/ Paul Moloney), who beat him over this CD last month. However neither is well handiapped now, while bottom weight Dermatologiste (Caroline Bailey/ Tom Scudamore), who won in a lower grade last time at Wetherby, looks well treated and Mobaasher (Rik Shaw/ Lucy Gardner), although out of form this season, is very well handicapped on his old form.

There are huge fields at Fairyhouse, especially in the three hurdles races which opoen the card, which has a late start at 17.50. Ouir best bet here is Toner d´Oudaires (Gordon Elliott/ Davy Russell) in the beginners chase at 19.25. He was the best of these over hurdles, amd although he has failed to win in his 5 races over fences so far, he can put that right today.