4 poor meetings today

Tuesday is often the weakest day of the week, and it certainly is today with just 4 very low-level meetings in the U.K. and nothing at all in Ireland. The only jumping comes from Southwell this evening, while there is flat racing at Brighton and Ripon this afternoon and on the all-weather at Wolverhampton this evening.

Easily the best race of the day is the mile handicap at Ripon at 16.55 CET and Birdman (David O´Meara/ Sam James), bidding to win his 4th race in succession, is the likely favourite. He was a smart performer for David Simcock in younger days, but lost his form completely last year so that he started out this year for his trainer on a very low rating. He has been put up 21 lbs for his 3 successes and faces tougher opposition now, and while he could easily win again - he is still below his top rating of 2013- he is no good thing here. Top-weight Off Art (Tim Easterby/ David Allan) is an obvious danger, dropping in grade here, but we like the each-way chances of oldtimer Dubai Dynamo (Ruth Carr/ Peter McDonald). The 10yo has run 133 times and keeps his form remarkably well, with 15 wins and 29 places to his credit, many of them over this CD. He won this race in 2011 and has run respectably in it every year since, and we hope that will be the case again today.

Ripon - betting forecast:
1. Race: Fashionable Spirit - Zeeda - Bossipop
2. Race: Mythical City - Secret Lightning - Taraz
3. Race: Hydrant - Ventura Quest - Memory Cloth
4. Race: Birdman - Off Art - Instant Attraction
5. Race: Kyllach Me - Alaskan Wing - Final Venture
6. Race: Synodic - Alnashama - Talyani
7. Race: Jacobs Son - Valantino Oyster - In Vino Veritas