only handicaps today

six meetings today, but the main events at all six are handicaps. Even at this evening´s Irish meeting at Sligo, the top races come into that category despite the grand race titles. The Connacht Oaks at 21.00 CET is at least a fillies race but a handicap over 1 1/2 miles in which older ares can also run. Exotic (Aidan and Joseph O´Brien) has top weight here, but her recent performances are nothing special and we prefer the only 3yo in the field, the Aga Khan´s Rayna (John Oxx/ Gary Halpin), who has won her last 3 races and receives 15 lbs plus her good young rider´s claim.
The Connacht Derby an hour earlier is over 10 furlongs and the 3yo´s Fiscan Focus (Jim Bolger/ Kevin Manning) and Spring Focus (Andy Oliver/ CP Hogan) look dangerous, but here we go for the lightly-raced 4yo Jayed Jidan (Dermot Weld/ Pat Smullen), who has won 3 of his 6 starts and is up in trip here. Weld can also win the apprentice handicap at 20.30 with Marty´s Magic (Liam Roche), who was runner-up over hurdles at Galway last week.
In the U.K. the two Newmarket-trained 3yo´s Hidden Gold (Saeed bin Suroor/ Silvestre de Sousa) and Rocket Ship (Sir Michael Stoute/ Joe Fanning) - both very well bred and also last-time-out winners, cam dominate the 1 1/2 mile handicap at Pontefract at 16.40. The mile handicap at Brighton at 16.50 is actually lower grade but is the most valuable race of the day in the U.K. It is a long way from North Yorkshire to the South Coast, but Mark Johnston has won this race 3 times in the last 6 years and had another good chance with Skytrain (Mike Murphy) who ran really well in a stronger race at Goodwood last week.

Betting forecast Brighton:
1. Race: L`etacq - River Spirit - Amber Crystal
2. Race: Beauchamp Ace - Grand Spirit - Natural Charm
3. Race: Royal Trooper - Unidexter - Sexy Secret
4. Race: Mime Dance - Secular Society - Scottish Glen
5. Race: Meeting Waters - Khatiba - Serenity Spa
6. Race: Polydamos - Sir Tyto - Up Hill Battle`s
7. Race: Forest Glen - Go Charlie - Lunarian