two poor meetings today

only low-level sport over jumps at Leicester today, and even lower level flat racing on the all-weather at nearby Southwell.
Over jumps we think it could be another good day for Venetia Williams and her stable jockey Aidan Coleman, and they have winning chances at 14.50 CET with Renard d´Irlande (although Edmund Kean (David Pipe/ Tom Scudamore) could be a problem here in his first start over fences), with Massena at 15.55 and with Santo Thomas at 16.30. They also have a chance in the opening race with Uhlan Bute, but here we prefer Milo Man (Evan Williams/ Paul Moloney), probably the best horse running today; a useful bumper, he won his first race over hurdles very easily and can follow up here, as the heavy ground is clearly right up his street.
The Southwell card is poor, and the maiden race at 15.40 stakes an early claim to be the worst race of 2014. John Jenkins and Freddie Tylicki have a good record here, and can take this with Bubbly Bailey and can also follow up at 16.45 with Bladewood Girl.

Betting forecast Leicester:
1. Race: Milo Man - Uhlan Bute - Ashes House
2. Race: Stow - The Jugopolist - Going Wrong
3. Race: Muldoon`S Picnic - San Telm - Edmund Kean
4. Race: Crescent Beach - Carli King - Meirig`S Dream
5. Race: Massena - Un Anjou - Islandmagee
6. Race: Toowoomba - Santo Thomas - Kilflora

Only 3 runners in Naas Grade Two

The best race today is the Grade Two Slaney Novice Hurdle over 2 1/2 miles at 14.30 CET at Naas. Unfortunately Willie Mullins has had to withdraw Upazo, who did not get back in time from his abortive trip to Sandown´s abandoned meeting yesterday. There are now only 3 runners and Mullins should still win with Briar Hill (Ruby Walsh) who looks a candidate for major honours. After winning Cheltenham´s Champion Bumper by 7 lengths he has won both his hurdles starts very easily, starting at long odds-on each time. He won´t pay much today, but should not be troubled to concede weight to his two opponents, Apache Jack (Dessie Hughes/ Bryan Cooper) and Very Wood (Noel Meade/ Paul Carberry), who are useful but not up to this standard. Mullins has also withdrawn Mozoltov from the novice chase at 14.00, which leaves Ned Buntline (Meade/ Carberry) with a seemingly easy task.

In the U.K. the top race is the Sussex National over 3 miles 5 furlongs at 15.50 at Plumpton. With very testing ground, this will be quite an ordeal and the 9 runners are basically all plodders. None are very reliable and our two against the field are top-weight Monkerty Tunkerty (Jessica Westwood/ Wayne Kennedy) and Smoking Aces (Jonjo O´Neill/ Tony McCoy).venetia Williams has no runners in this race, but has a very good strike rate at Plumpton and could well take the first 4 races with Dubawi Island at 13.50, Brick Red at 14.20, Marcilhac at 14.50 and Mudita Moment half an hour later, all partnered by stable jockey Aidan Coleman. They could even win the handicap chase at 16.20 with Browns Brook, even though this one has never yet finished in the first 5 - although top-weight Overnight Fame (Tom George/ Aodhagan Conlan) looks the more logical selection here.

There is also all-weather racing at Southwell, although frankly we would rather give this meeting a miss. Borough Boy (Derek Shaw/ Dale Swift) is no star, but won over this CD last Monday and might be able to follow up under a penalty oin the 6 furlongs handicap at 14.10; however we prefer Ivestar (Mick Easterby/ Adam Kirby), whose team scored a famous victory at Lingfield yesterday. Otherwise there are mainly very small fields which are totally unsuitable for betting purposes.

Newcastle and Lingfield today

Newcastle now stages the only jumps racing in the U.K. today and with some small fields and heavy ground, the card is not at all punter-friendly. The best horse running here is Rolecarr (Mrs Hamilton/ Graham Watters), who is down in grade and contests the 3 mile handicap chase at 14.40 CET. He acts on the ground and obviously has a good chance in this company, but we wonder if he can concede 24 lbs to Bertie Milan (Neil Alexander/ Brian Harding), who has only ever won once - but that was on heavy, and he is generally consistent enough. Alexander can also take the opening mares novice hurdle with The Flaming Matron, ridden by Diarmuid O´Regan, younger brother to Denis.

The best betting opportunities here in our opinion are the handicap hurdles over 2 3/4 miles at 14.05 and over 2 miles at 15.15. In the former race we like Madam Lillibet (Sharon Watt/ Joseph Palmowski), who loves the ground, won at this meeting last year. and now seems very fairly handicapped. In the latter event, we of course go for the German-bred Lysino (Chris Grant/ Harding); this half-brother to Derby winner Lucky Speed has not really lived up to expectations but ran well over this CD a fortnight ago. He has been put up 4 lbs for that, as has the 4yo Nautical Twilight (Malcolm Jefferson/ Brian Hughes), also runner-up at the same meeting. The other dangers are John Dixon´s Circus Star, who won twice in November but has gone up 17 lbs, and the consistent Sam Lord (Jimmy Moffatt/ Dominic Elsworth), but we hope that Lysino can finally get off the mark over jumps here.

Easily the most valuable race of the day is the 1 1/2 miles handicap on the all-weather at 15.35 at Lingfield, which with 28k GBP to the winner is worth more than most German group races. As a result it is exteremely cpmpettive with all 14 runners in with a chance, although we cannot believe ex-Brazilian Group winner Energia Eros (Marco Botti/ Martin Harley) can win this under top weight on his first start in Europe. Botti´s other runners look more likely, buit our 3 against the field are Castilo Del Dianblo (David Simcock/ Jamie Spencer) - creeping up the weights, but ran very well at Kempton last time, Kashmir Peak (John Quinn/ Martin Lane), amd Shavansky (Rod Millman/ Shelley Birkett) - who goes well for this young jockey. The 6 furlongs handicap which follows at 16.10 looks equally tricky. Perfect Pasture (Mick Easterby/ Adam Kirby) has won 5 races on the trot, but has gone up a massive 35 lbs for his pains and is possibly better suited by 5 furlongs. We will take a chance with Diamond Charlie (Simon Dow/ Andrea Atzeni), who found 7 furlongs too far last time, but ran well over this CD before.