5 poor meetings today

With the big York meeting starting on Wednesday, there is no point in expecting high class racing today or tomorrow and there are very few highlights on today´s 5 cards. At Thirsk this afternoon, Bondi Beach Boy (James Turner/ Peter McDonald) attempts to win his seventh race within the space of 3 months in the 5 furlongs handicap at 16.00 CET. He is obviously one of the most improved horses in training, but he has gone up 32 lbs in the weights since his winning run started and we just wonder if he can beat Waseem Faris (Mick Channon/ Franny Norton) today; in contrast, the latter has not won for 2 years but is very consistent and seems well handicapped. We also like CD specialist It´s a Mans World (Brian Ellison/ Paul Pickard) in the mile handicap here half an hour later; he won this last year and although his recent form is nothing special, a return to his favourite track may bring about a revival.

Windsor stages its final Monday evening fixture of 2013 today; the card is as usual very weak but these meetings are still very popular and the best betting policy is to back Richard Hughes´ and Ryan Moore´s mounts. They should once again dominate this evening, and we fancy Hughes to get the better of things this time. However in the final fillies handicap over a mile at 21.00 we think that Al Jamal (Charlie Appleby/ Harry Bentley) could come out on top.

Appleby sends his main jockey Mickael Barzalona to Wolverhampton for just one ride, Strategical at 18.00, and this one is the certainty of the day, although his odds will reflect this. A more speculative bet at a much longer price could be German-bred Sure Fire (David Evans/ DJ Bates) in the 1 3/4 mile handicap at 19.50. The Monsun gelding is a 3/4 brother to the international champion Stacelita, and although he has so far totally failed to live up to his pedigree, he must have a chance in this lowly company.

There is jumping this afternoon at Worcester, where AP McCoy will undoubtedly ride some winners, although Royal Peak (David Pipe/ Tom Scudamore) at 17.45 is our best bet here, and there is also a mixed card at Roscommon, with 4 flat races followed by 3 over hurdles. It could be significant that Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh come here for just one runner, Sweet My Lord at 21.10, and this one could be another odds-on winner.