Poor start to the week

A very low level start to the week with 2 poor flat cards this afternoon and 2 more this evening. Ryan Moore does not often ride at Pontefract, but he is at the Yorkshire track today and should go home with a couple of winners. He rides Age of Empire for Richard Hannon in the 2yo conditions race at 16.00 CET; this is a tricky little race, but this one was a respectable sixth of 17 at Royal Ascot and that is the best form offer here. He can double up for the same trainer at 18.00 with Paint the Star. He rides CD winner Augusta Ada for Ollie Pears in the fillies handicap at 17.00 and this one certainly has a chance in an open race; hpwever we prefer top-weight Gran Canaria Qiueen (Tim Easterby/ Rachel Richardson) who won in good style at York last time and is partnered by a very talented claimer.

More loqw-level racing this evening at Musselburgh and Windsor. At the former meeting. we fancy CD specialist Just Paul (Micky Hammond/ Jack Garrity)in the 7 furlongs handicap at 21.45, while at Windsor the nicely-named Inspector Norse (Sylvester Kirk/ Richard Hughes) and Red Warrior (Ismail Mohammed/ Martin Harley) - second here last year- are on the short list for the 10 furlongs handicap at 20.30.