Wolverhampton today

Even if racing goes ahead at Wolverhampton this afternoon - with snow on the track another inspection has been called - the sport is of very moderate quality. Fantastic Fred (Jamie Osborne/ Tom Queally) appeals as the best bet on the card. He has won both his starts this year, both this CD, and can complete his hat-trick in the 3yo handicap over 9 furlongs at 15.50 CET. The 7 furlongs handicap at 16.50 has only 6 runners but still looks quite open; Sedreni (Michael Wigham/ Steve Drowne) and Blue Charm (Ian McInnes/ Andrew Heffernan) are both consistent performers, but may not be able to give the weight to course specialist Romantic Verse (Ed McMahon/ Stephen Donohoe). Two German-breds with chances are Gwilym (Derek Haysn Jones/ Jamie Spencer), who has a 6 lbs penalty for a narrow CD win last Thursday in the 5 furlongs handicap at 17.20, and Terminate (Ian Williams/ Stephen Donohoe) in the staying handicap half an hour later; the son of Acatenango is on a long losing run, but likes this track and seems to be coming back to form.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Blacktoft - Saviour Sand - Dancing Deano
2. Race: Fantastic Fred - Miss Cracklinrosie - Green Passion
3. Race: Parisian Gift - Forbidden - Ten Pole Tudor
4. Race: Sendreni - Blue Charm - Asian Power
5. Race: Gwilym - Monte Major - What Katie Did
6. Race: Terminate - Blue Hills - Slew Charm
7. Race: Dream In Blue - Dusk - Eighteenfifty
8. Race: Vanquisher - Inner Voice - Buscador

Ireland today

The ground will be very testing at both today´s Irish N.H. meetings at Punchestown and Limerick, but some good sport is still in prospect. Punchestown has the best card, but unfortunately there are only 5 runners in the two featured Grade Two events, the novice hurdle at 14.25 CET and the 2 mile chase an hour later. Both however could have a strong bearing on Cheltenham betting. In the former event, Mikael d´Haquenet (Ruby Walsh) is one of an army of Cheltenham hopefuls from the Willie Mullins stable, and will start at long odds-on today after easily winning his last 3 races. Donna Palm (Noel Meade/ Paul Carberry) and Kimberlite King (Colm Murphy/ Matt O´Connor) are the obvious candidates for the forecast. However the main candidate for Murphy and O´Connor is Big Zeb in the big chase. He is currently second favourite to Master Minded for the Champion Chase and has to win today to keep up a credible festival challenge. He should hold Watson Lake (Meade/ Carberry), who meets hi m of 2lbs better terms for a half length defeat at Leopardstown´s Christmas meeting, as he was reportedly not fully fit then. Last-time-out winners Scotsirish (Mullins/ Walsh), who missed an easier race in midweek to wait for this, and Mansony (Arthur Mpoore/ Day Russell) are also respected. Black Apalachi (Dessie Hughes/ Roger Loughran), a spectacular winner over fences at Aintree´s autumn meeting, now reppears with top-weight in the 3 mile handicap hurdle at 14.55 and seems a more likely Grand National candidate than any of the runners in the Grand National Trial at 15.55. Enda Bolger has dominated the cross-country scene in recent years; he has 3 runners in the race at 16.35 with L´Ami (John Thomas McNamara) looking by far the best of them. At Limerick, German-breds Noble Prince (Paul Nolan/ Aiudan Cawley) and Madagascar Island (Ger Cully/ Andrew Thornton) have each-way chances at 14.45. and 16.15 respectively, while Horner Woods (Jessica Harrington/ Robbie Power) should win the beginners chase at 17.15, and Publicize (J.Monroe/ RT Dunne) can repeat his easy Thursday CD win in the opportunity handicap chase at 17.45

Musselburgh, Fontwell and Southwell

Racing goes ahead everywhere today, a pleasant surprise in view of last week´s bad weather and the expectation of more to come. Easily the best card is at Musselburgh and the Scottish track had attracted runners from far and wide, including such top southern English trainers as Nicky Henderson and Philip Hobbs.Top race is the 4yo hurdle at 15.30, in which Henderson saddles Giorgio Quercus (Barry Geraghty), whi looked very promising in the autumn but has now disappointed a couple of times. The unbeaten West with the Wind (Tom Tate/ Keith Mercer) -out of a German mare- and the smart Nine Stories (Howard Johnson/ Denis O´Regan) will be two tough nuts to crack. It could be a good day for German-breds, and First Stream (Howard Johnson/ O`Regan) can set the ball rolling in the maiden hurdle at 14.30 CET. This previous group race performer for Mario Hofer is having his first run for new connections and is making his hurdles debut, but if he jumps round, should surely outclass this o pposition. Los Nadis (Peter Monteith/ Geraghty) has each-way possibilities in the valuable handicap hurdle at 16.30, but this is a very tough race, in which Hibiki (Hobbs/ Richard Johnson) and Mohayer (Donald McCain/ Jasom Maguire) are just two of several with chances. Henderson also saddles Bellvano (JP Magnier) in the bumper at 17.30, who has an excellent German pedigree and should also run well. At Fontwell, where the going will be very heavy, all interest will be centred on Tony McCoy´s attempt finally to ride his 3,000 th winner. It has so far been a frustrating period for the champion jockey, but he has two chances today and can win on both to brng up the magic 3,000: Burton Port for Nicky Henderson in the novice hurdle at 15.10 and Blue Teal for Henrietta Knight in the handicap hurdle at 17.10. German-bred Wildbach is probably the best horse in the large field for the selling hurdle at 16.10, but has a a huge weight to carry and on these terms Peut Etre Sivola (David Pipe/ Danny Cook) can perhaps be preferred. The hunter chase season starts today in Britain, and the race at 16.40 should be dominated by Limerick Boy (Venetia Williams/ Walter Biddick) - another ex-German - and Ofarel d´Airy (Paul Nicholls/ Oliver Greenall), both of whom are coming off a long break. Toulaman (Gary Moore/ Eamonn Dehdashti) in the bumper at 17.40 is another German-bred with a good chance, and as a son of Black Sam Bellamy shoud handle the conditions. The all-weather meeting at Southwell is of very little interest, but West End Lane (Steve Bowing/ Dane O´Neill) looks the best bet on the card. An easy winner this CD 12 days ago, he can follow up in the mile handicap at 14.30 with only 6 lbs more.