3 poor meetings today

Rracing is on at today´s 2 N.H. meetings at Taunton and Wetherby, and also at the all-weather fixture at Southwell, but the quality is poor all over and there are some small fields as well. The best race of the day is the handicap hurdle at 16.45 CET at Taunton with 6 runners, but this is a weak field for a class 2 handicap. Virak (Paul Nicholls/ Jack Sherwood) was a very easy winner here last time and with the stable in good form and with an ecxcellent record here seems certain to start favourite. However he has a lot of weight and we shall take a chance on Helium, trained and ridden by Alex Dunn, who has her small string in good form. Helium was a CD winner last time in a close finish with Chesil Beach Boy and can repeat the dose on a pound worse terms.

At Wetherby the handicap hurdle at 15.50 is one of the most competitive races of the day and we like Forty Crown (John Wade/ Keith Renwick), who won this last year and is still well handicapped; he was behind hat-trick-seeking Markem (Rose Dobbin/ Craig Nicol) last time but meets that one on better terms now. We also like oldtimer Pamak d´Airy (Harry Hogarth/ Tony Kelly) here at 17.30; he has a good CD record and gets 18 lbs from the obvious form choice and likely hot favourite Massena (Venetia Williams/ Callum Williams). Alan Swinbank had 2 winners here yesterday and can score again at 15.25 with Samoset (Ben Curtis); he has gone up 6 lbs for winning here last time, but today´s opposition looks weak. Swinbank has also entered Gogeo, one of yesterday´s winners, in the claimer at 17.40. He was barely out of a canter yesterday and if he turns out again can score once more.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Brantingham Breeze - Over My Head - Comical Red
2. Race: Shanendou - Money Maid - Young Cheddar
3. Race: Filatore - Ceasar Milan - Auld Sthock
4. Race: Virak - Tornado In Milan - Leviathan
5. Race: The Happy Warrior - Prince Freddie - Torgamah Lad
6. Race: Pressies Girl - Onenightinvienna - Davy Doubt