Musselburgh only N.H. racing today

the bad weather continues in many parts of the British Isles, with the South and South-West particularly badly affected. Today´s N.H. card at Lingfield has long since been abandoned, and there could be problems for tomorrow´s high class Sandown fixture.
The Eastern half of Scotland has not been so badly hit so far, and there should no problems for today´s card at Musselburgh, although the going will obviously be soft. Local trainer Lucinda Russell fields a strong team, with runners in all 7 races and we expect her to make the short journey home afterwards with several winners in the bag. Her most interesting runner, in our view, is The Starboard Bow with stable jockey Peter Buchanan, who has top weight in the handicap hurdle at 14.40 CET. He has not run for almost 2 years, but has won over this CD and is very well handicapped on his old form. His most dangerous opponent could be Cadore (Lucy Normile/ Grant Cockbiurn), who meets his CD conqueror Pass Muster (Philip Kirby/ Adam Nicol) on 15 lbs better terms this time. This claimer also rides for Lucinda and can take the 3 miies handicap chase at 16.10 on her Kris Cross, a winner at Ascot in November and a non-runner yesterday at Ayr. That meeting was notable for a double by Irish trainer Stuart Crawford, who is in great form, and he can score again here with Solidago at 15.40; Burns Night is not due for another 3 weeks, but the horse of that name (Kirby/ Nicol) looks the main threat. Lucinda can start a good day for her stable by taking the first two races with Final Assault (Buchanan) at 13.40 and Ballycool (DR Fox) half an hour later.
The most interesting runner at today´s 3 a.w. meetings could be Unscripted (Richard Hannon( Sean Levey), who goes for the 7 furlongs maiden at 18.00 at Wolverhamptpn. He is the first runner for Hannon junior since he took over his father´s stable at the start of the year. Obviously he will be expected to win, but we do not recommend a bet as many punters will think the same, and he will probably start at an artificially short price.

Betting forecast Musselburgh:
1. Race: Katachenko - Empresario - King Of Strings
2. Race: Ballycool - Coax - Civil Unrest
3. Race: Pass Muster - Cadore - The Starboard Bow
4. Race: Reaping The Reward - Jet Master - Witness In Court
5. Race: Solidago - Ryton Runner - Stitched In Time
6. Race: Kris Cross - Rossini`S Dancer - Lively Baron
7. Race: Elfego Baca - Cousin Guillaume - Coozan George

Ayr and Huntingdon both go ahead

there were fears that today´s two N.H. meetings in the U.K.might have to be abandoned following the awful weather this week, but both Ayr and Huntingdon have passed early morning inspections and racing goes ahead.
The going will of course be heavy and these conditions should suit the two German-bred sons of Monsun running in the handicap hurdle at 15.10 CET at Huntingdon, Dawn Twister (Lucy Wadham/ Matt Crawley) and Promised Wings (Chris Gordon/ Tom Cannon). Dawn Twister has been a bit disappointing on his British starts, but we have not forgotten the way he sluiced through the mud to win a listed race at Baden-Baden in 2010 and, in the hope that he will revel in the mud again, we make him the selection. Monsun´s stallion son Shirocco also gets top hurdlers who go well in the heavy, as we saw yesterday with Annie Power, and he has another smart recruit in Mijhaar (John Ferguson/ Denis O´Regan), who runs in the opening novice hurdle here at 13.10. Mijhaar was a good listed performer on the flat for Roger Varian, won his first race over hurdles in excellent style, and looks set for a highly successful career in this new metier. The best race here is the listed mares bumper at 16.10; this looks open with all 8 runners having shown good form, but the most likely winner is Rouquine Sauvage (Tony Honeyball/ Tony McCoy). The card at Ayr is much lower in quality, but the Irish brothers Stuart and Steven Crawwford are always dangerous on their raids on British racecourses, and might just land a treble here with Fine Rightly, a smart bumper horse making his hurdling debut at 13.20, McLovin half an hour later and Trucking Along at 15.50.

Betting forecast Huntingdon:
1. Race: Gunner Fifteen - Steel City - Arthur`s Oak
2. Race: Flemi Two Toes - Tinelyra - Genny Wren
3. Race: Just Benny - Boomtown - Was My Valentine
4. Race: Ringa Bay - Mentalist - Ringa Bay
5. Race: Beauboreen - Arkose - Phare Isle
6. Race: Shubaat - Cloud Creeper - Carole`s Destrier
7. Race: Bitofapuzzle - Rouquine Sauvage - Notnowivorheadache
8. Race: River Deep - Broughtons Warrior - Double U Dot Ede`s

Cheltenham today

today´s meeting at Cheltenham has not only the best card of the day but is also extremely high class with several runners out to stake their claim to a place in the big races here in March. This applies especially to the hurdle race at 16.05 CET - there are only 3 runners here but two of them are among the favourites for the Champion Hurdle - Annie Power (Willie Mullins/ Ruby Walsh) and Zarkandar (Paul Nicholls/ Daryl Jacob). Annie Power - by Shirocco out of a mare who was a Group winner in Germany - is unbeaten in 8 starts; she is Ruby´s only ride of the day, in itself significant, and seems certain to start at odds-on as she has already beaten Zarkandar, when they met at Ascot in November. However Zarkandar is now better off at the weights and has the advantage of a good record here, while Annie Power runs at Cheltenham for the first time. In addition this is bound to be a tactical affair, with the third runner also saddled by Nicholls, so it could be a close thing. Definitely a race to watch rather than to bet on.
There is also a small field for the Grade Two Dipper Novice Chase at 14.30, where the two main protagonists have also already met this season. Taquin diu Seuil (Jonjo O´Neill/ Tony McCoy) defeated Oscar Whisky (Nicky Henderson/ Barry Geraghty) here in November and is now better off at the weights, but there are still reasons to expect Oscar Whisky, who was by far the better over hurdles, to turn the tables today. Close House (David Pipe/ Paddy Brennan) is also not out of it, as he was still going well when falling in the race won here by Oscar Whisky last time.
The opening novice hurdle at 13.10 is also an extremely interesting affair, with several major prospects on view, including Ballyalton (Ian Williams/ McCoy), who lost a lot of ground at the start last time, but still won and has in fact won 5 of his 6 starts. However we prefer Royal Regatta (Philip Hobbs/ Richard Johnson) and Racing Pulse (John Quinn/ James Reveley), both unbeaten so far.