low key Sunday racing

obviously the racing now is very low key as we wait for the big Boxing Day fixtures at the end of the week - and no racing at all on the 23rd, 24th and 25th. So we have three low level jumps cards today at Lingfield, Fakenham and Thurles in Ireland. We saw yesterday at Ascot the advantage CD winners have when back over their favourite courses, and we can see the same again today at Fakenham, where we hope that Mistral Reine (Lucy Wadham/ Dougie Costello) can win the opener at 14.00 CET and Full Ov Beans (M Gates/ Mikey hamill) follow up an hour later. The former has scored both her victories over this CD, including this race last year. while the latter has won 4 times here, including last time out. It has been a very expensive business folllowing German-bred Lyssio (Jim Best/ Jason Maguire) this year and this one time German Derby 8th (and half-brother to a Derby winner) has not finished in the first 3 for 17 months. However he has dropped to a lenient rating and it is a long time since he faced such feeble opposition as in the handicap hurdle here at 15.30, so we hope he runs a bit better this time.

Another German-bred we hope can end a long losing run is the Monsun gelding Promised Wings (Chris Gordon/ Tom Cannon) in the 14.10 at Lingfield. The one to beat is clearly Finish The Story (Johnny Farrelly/ Robert Hawker), who has won his last 3 races but he has a huge weight, which will not be ideal in this very heavy going. The ground will suit Umberto d´Olivate (Robert Walford/ Felix de Giles) in the main feature here, a 2 1/2 mile handicap chase at 15.10, and he can possibly defy top weight here.

There are huge fields at the Irish meeting at Thurles. Willie Mullins had 4 winners yesterday and can score again with Lyrical Theatre, to be ridden by son Paddy oin the mares´ maiden hurdle at 14.50; she was a top bumper horse and will certainly be at long odds-on to win on her hurdling debut today.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Brass Monkey - Changeofluck - Iron Butterfly
2. Race: Haatefina - Inca Dove - Come On Harriet
3. Race: Full Ov Beans - My Oh Mount Brown - Billy Twyford
4. Race: You`Ve Been Mowed - Flash Tommie - Russian Link
5. Race: Point Of Attack - Midnight Chorister - Six One Away
6. Race: Harlestone Times - Thecorruptor - Amidon