6 meetings today

With the season for evening racing now getting under way, we have 6 meetings today, 3 each in the afternoon and evening, and also 3 each on the flat and over jumps, but it has to be said that none of the races is wildly exciting.

Best race on the flat is the 6 furlongs handicap at 16.20 CET at Pontefract; the two we like best here are Yeeoow (Karl Burke/ Joey Haynes) and Supplicant (Richard Fahey/ Paul Hanagan), both of whom are on a long losing run but have come down quite a bit in the weights as a result. We give slight preference to bottom-weight Yeeoow, who was third in this last year off a higher rating and is fit from recent runnings on the all-weather. Also at Pontefract is the second stage of the year.long marathon series over almost 2 3/4 miles at 16.50; 6 of the 8 runners ran in the first stage 2 weeks ago, won by Suprise Vendor (Coltherd/ Jason Hart), but the weights have been adjusted, so that the result could this time be reversed.

The best race at Windsor this evening is another 6 furlongs handicap at 19.25, which looks very tricky. Marmalady (Gary Moore/ George Baker) is a very tentative suggestion here. The card at the Irish meeting at Cork is mainly very low level, but the 3yo maiden at 19.15 could be interesting with runners from some of the top stables; Tadaany (Dermot Weld/ Pat Smullen) showed promise on his only outing last season and could be the answer here.

By far the best horse running over jumps today is Far West (Paul Nicholls/ Sam Twiston-Davies), who goes for the novice chase at 19.05 at Newton Abbot. Nicholls won this last year with subsequent Grade One scorer Mr.Mole and this one is of similar ability; unfortunately he has scared off most of the opposition and will be at a ridiculous price to defeat his two modest opponents.

Pontefract - betting forecast:
1. Race: Black Magic - Racing Venture - Four`s Company
2. Race: Express Himself - Dubai Hills - Dubai Dynamo
3. Race: Lexington Abbey - Supplicant - Sunraider
4. Race: Tuscan Gold - Riptide - Chevalgris
5. Race: Tadarrok - Paco`s Sunshine - Taffetta
6. Race: Dream Ally - Sleeping Apache - Where The Boys Are