listed race at Nottingham

with the big Fairyhouse jumps meeting ending yesterday, and the even bigger Aintree Grand National meeting starting tomorrow, it is no surprise that we take a rest from jumping today, when there is flat racing only in the U.K.

Nottingham has by far the best card, its first of the season, and many of the top trainers have sent runners, including John Gosden, who has starters in 4 races, among them 2 in the main feature, the listed race over 1 3/4 miles at 16.40 CET. They are the two lightly-raced 4yo´s Forever Now (Richard Hughes), 6th of 12 in the St. Leger last year, and recent all-weather winning filly Deuce Again (Rab Havlin). Both should pay their way this year and while the former has easily the better rating, we would not be suprised to see the latter, with fitness assured, do better today. However two other other 4yo fillies Island Remede (Ed Dunlop/ Paul Hanagan) looking very dangerous after her good seasonal debut in similar company at Doncaster, and Cinnilla (Ralph Beckett/ Richard Kingscote) - whose dam was an own sister to German Group One winner Catella- are obvious threats. Having said all that, the one we really like is the Monsun horse Blue Rambler (Charlie Appleby/ William Buick), whose trainer continues in tremendous form (7 winners in the last 6 days); he was well beaten on his U.K. debut last October, but had earlier won 4 races on the trot in France for Andre Fabre, and we think that he could well be up to group class.

Gosden also runs Sacred Act, in the same colours as Forever Now, and with his old stable jockey Buick in the saddle, in the mile handicap at 17.10. This is another very lightly raced and promising sort; he was an easy winner of his maiden at this meeting a year ago and was then unplaced in a hot handicap - in time he will probably turn out to to be the best performer in this field, but for today we would rather rely on Yourartisonfire (Karl Burke/ Silvestre de Siusa), third of 21 in the Doncaster Spring Mile. Another interesting event here is the 5 furlongs conditions race at 16.10, with several of the runners having shown group or listed form. Justineo (Roger Varian/ Graham Lee) even ran last year in the Abbaye, while Dutch Masterpiece (Gary Moore/ Jimmy Fortune) was a group race winner in 2013. Spinatrix (Michael Dods/ Conor Beasley) actually comes out best at the weights with her fillies allowance, but her best form is all at 6 furlongs, so we prefer Humidor (George Baker/ Adam Kirby), who has not won for ages but was runner-up here in 2013 and has plenty of smart form at this trip.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Acaster Malbis - Occult - Alkawn
2. Race: Waady - Bapak Asmara - Rita`s Boy
3. Race: Spinatrix - Dutch Masterpiece - Justineo
4. Race: Forever Now - Island Remede - Blue Rambler
5. Race: Sacred Act - Yourartisonfire - Le Chat D`Or
6. Race: What Asham - Outback Ruler - Lahayeb
7. Race: Noro Lim - Perceived - Sampera