Catterick today

today´ s N.H. meeting at Catterick goes ahead after the track passed an early morning inspection, but the going will obviously be heavy. Tony McCoy is a rare visitor here, but rides in the first 3 races and could even land a hat-trick with Magic Skyline for Brian Ellison at 13.35 CET, Getabuzz for Tim Easterby at 14.05 and Suprise Vendor for Will Coltherd half an hour later. However he has no ride in the main event, the North Yorkshire Grand National over 3 3/4 miles at 15.35. Chac Du Cadran (CC Bealby/ Tom Messenger) won this last year, and although he has shown nothing since, could well go close again. On recent form, the much-improved Merlin´s Wish (Martin Keighley/ Ian Popham) and Sun Cloud (Malcolm Jefferson/ Brian Hughes) are the two to beat, but the most interesting runner in our view is Diamond Harry (Nick Williams/ James Reveley); he made a decent comeback recently after almost a year off, and is now extremely well handicapped on his old form, which includes a Hennessy Gold Cup win in 2010. From the German point of view, we are certainly interested in how Nexios (Keith Dalgleish/ Craig Nicol) gets on in the novice hurdle at 15.05. He was well beaten on his U.K. debut, but we have not forgotten how well this close relation to German Derby winner Nicaron ran in the 2012 Union-Rennen and he might run a big race at a big price today.
There is also all-weather racing at Southwell this afternoon and Wolverhampton this evening, but both cards are very poor and with some small fields as well we would rather leave these cards alone and concentrate on Meydan (preview to follow)

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Magic Skyline - Colleen Bawn - Lebanna
2. Race: Getabuzz - Gold Show - Sealous Scout
3. Race: Alderbrook Lad - Suprise Vendor - Smadynium
4. Race: Dark Dune - Askamore Darsi - Yorkist
5. Race: Merlin`s Wish - Sun Cloud - Diamond Harry
6. Race: Summerlea - Hit The Top - Welsh Bard
7. Race: Gone Forever - Rons Dream - Ride The Range