4 poor meetings today

A typical Tuesday today with very little of interest and low grade racing at all 4 meetings - Ripon and Lingfield (all-weather) this afternoon, and Yarmouth and Hexham (N.H.) this evening. The best race of the day is the mile handicap at 16.30 CET at Ripon, which looks wide open, with several CD specialists in opposition, many of whom have already met several times. Ardmay (Kevon and Amy Ryan) won over this CD a fortnight ago, with Frontier Fighter (David O´Meara/ Danny Tudhope) runner-up, Dubai Dynamo (Ruth Carr/ P McDonald), who won this in 2011, fourth, and Osteopathic Remedy (Michael Dods/ T Eaves) fifth; they are now handicapped to dead-heat so anything is possible. Ardmay is the youngest horse in the field and may possibly confirm the form - although the Ryans are apparently worried about the firming ground-but we shall take a chance on Osteopathic Remedy, who runs his best races here.

The most interesting events at Lingfield are the two divisions of the 3yo maiden over 10 furlongs at 17.45 and 1815, with runners from some of the top stables - Stoute, Gosden, Cecil etc. All eyes will be on Air Of Glory (Saeed bin Suroor/ Mikael Barzalona) in the first division; not only was he a very expensove yearling, costing half a Million Guineas, but he is also the first runner from Moulton Paddocks since the steroid scandal concerning the previous trainer Mahmood al Zarooni. Saeed now holds the license, but it has been reported today that al Zarooni´s assistant Charlie Appleby is expected to take over once he is approved. Godolphin obviously want to put all this behind them and will be hoping that Air Of Glory wins, and also either debutant Hunting Ground (Kieren Fallon) or Thouwra (Barzalona) in the second division.

Another one hoping to put recent troubles behind him is Frankie Dettori, who made his comeback last Friday after being suspended for half a year. None of his Mounts so far jhave troubled the judge, but he could be among the winners this evening at Yarmouth, where he has 3 rides - Green Monkey for James Fanshawe at 18.55, Ssafa for Tony Lidderdale at 19.25 and Sound Advice for Keith Dalgleish at 19.55. At Hexham this evening, recent CD winners Balding Banker (Ferdy Murphy/ Tony Kelly) and Rattin (Sue Smith/ Jonathan England) are expected to follow up at 19.10 and 19.45 respectively.

Ripon - betting forecast:
1. Race: Searchlight - Captain Midnight - Ambiance
2. Race: Bobs Her Uncle - Imaginary World - Cabal
3. Race: Special Meaning - Order Of Service - Tuscan Fun
4. Race: Ardmay - Frontier Fighter - Dubai Dynamo
5. Race: Gallena - Bondesire - Bapak Bangsawan
6. Race: Sublimation - Rock Choir - Correggio
7. Race: Red Tyke - Amtired - Honoured