April Fools Day

the BHB are certainly playing an April Fool joke on us today by presenting us with 3 of the weakest cards of the year. There is N.H. racing at Newton Abbot and flat racing on the all-weather at Southwell and Kempton, all at a very low level. Tony McCoy was at Hexham yesterday for 3 rides (2 winners) and today travels to the other end of the country for just one ride at Newton Abbot, Brendan Powell´s Award Winner at 17.40 CET. This 11yo is very inconsistent but certainly capable enough on his day; top weight Jaunty Journey (Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davoes) looks the main danger. Gotoyourplay (Venetia Williams/ Aidan Coleman) made a good comeback recently after two years off and can win ahgain at 16.10; oif he "bnoiunces", the rather one-ploacecd Camden (Olibver Camden>/ Leughton Aspell) is thr alternative. Otherwise here we should watch two French imports having their first U.K. runs for Paul Nicholls: Remilöic (Twiston-Davies) at 15.10 and Rothman (Nich Scholfield) at 16.40.
The most interesting runner on the all-weather is Alumina (Andrew Balding/ Jack Garrity) in the 3yo handicap at Southwell at 16.30; she has won her last 5 races, 3 of them here and the latest with this apprentice on board. She has gone up 32 lbs in the weights and sooner or later will meet defeat, but she probably still has a race or two in her. Balding has his string in fine form and also had runners at Kempton, but Sir Michael Stoute could be the trainer to follow there. He has entered Abseil (Jack Doyle) and Tall Ship (Ryan Moore) in the mile maiden at 15.50 and Economy (Doyle) over 1 1/2 miles an hour later. They are of course all beautifully bred and the two Khaled Abdullah runners (i.e. those ridden by Doyle) are the ones we expect to see in the winner´s enclosure. The 4yo Economy, runner up on only start so far, has surely been kept in training for a reason and he is the best bet of the day.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Jacobs Son - Lean On Pete - Mishrif
2. Race: Lendal Bridge - Meebo - Fizzolo
3. Race: Layla`S Hero - Pull The Pin - Beau Mistral
4. Race: Alumina - Outbacker - Royal Warrior
5. Race: Kingscombe - Opus - No Such Number
6. Race: Kasbhom - Bitaphon - Chapellerie
7. Race: Mont Signal - General Tufto - Just Five