Ascot today

The only flat racing this afternoon comes from Ascot, which has a good card for a Friday, while there is also jumping at Fontwell and Hexham, with the usual small fields, as well as all-weather racing this evening at Wolverhampton and Dundalk (Ireland).

We shall concentrate on Ascot, which has some very competitive handicaps as well as a listed race for 3yo´s over1 3/4 miles at 16.40 CET. This looks straightforward for Marzocco (John Gosden/ William Buick), who has only ever won once - a maiden on the all-weather last October- but has been running well in top races and finished an excellent 5th in the St. Leger. This easily the best form in the race and we shall be very surprised if Big Orange (Michael Bell/ Tom Queally), who won a listed handicap at Chester last time, can give him 3 lbs. More danger in our view comes from Odeon (James Given/ Graham Lee)- behind him at York- and the much imoroved Mizzou (Luca Ciumani/ Andrea Atzeni), up in grade here.

The handicaps look very tricky, but we have unearthed two outsiders who are now very nicely handicapped on their old form and have a good CD record: Smarty Socks (David O´Meara/ Danny Tudhope) at 15.00 and Excellent Guest (George Margarson/ Queally) half an hour later. They coulod repay an each-way interest, as could Buckland (Charlie Fellowes/ Martin Lane) in the 2-miler at 17.50.

all jumping today

all 4 meetings this afternoon in the U.K. and Ireland are N.H. cards, with the low level all-weather meeting this evening at Kempton the only flat racing of the day. Unfortunately the 3 British meetings at Warwick, Bangor and Southwell all have very small fields, with most races having 5 runners or less, so that they are not so interesting for betting purposes.

The most interesting race at Warwick, which now only stages jumps races, is the handicap hurdle at 15.40 CET, in which Laser Blazer (Alan King/ Richard Johnson) could start favourite after winning his last 2 races, most recently on Monday. However we prefer Mahican (John Ferguson/ Tony McCoy), the only 4yo in the field, who was much better on the flat and may be able to confirm this over sticks. McCoy can also take the 3 mile handicap chase at 17.20 on Jonjo O´Neill´s Lost Glory; German-bred Wiesentraum (Lucy Wadham/ Leighton Aspell) could be a danger here, as well as the lightly-raced bottom-weight Trafalgar (Dan and Harry Skelton).

At Bangor, Bonne Fee (Kim Bailey/ Edward Cookson) goes for her fourth successive victory in the mares novice hurdle at 17.30, but she has a massive penalty and most concede 17 lbs to the other 4 runners. She might of course be capable of this, but our instinct is always to go against such horses and we hope to get a good price on Russian Link (John Berry/ Joseph Akehurst).

At Southwell there are only 4 runners in the main event, a 2 1/2 mile handicap chase at 16.35, and 3 of them are recent winners. We shall choose the other runner Abbey Storm (Donald McCain/ Noel Fehily), who is coming off a break and was totally out of form last season, but as a result is now well handicapped.

There are even some small fields at the Irish ´meeting at Clonmel. Aidan O´Brien probably has other things on his mind at present, but he can take the opening novice hurdle here with Egyptian Warrior (Robbie Power) at 15.15.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Bjornlucky - Under The Phone - Vaihau
2. Race: Surf And Turf - Uriah Heep - Red Seventy
3. Race: Crescent Beach - Unknown Legend - Moorlands Jack
4. Race: Finding Your Feet - Iguacu - Demographic
5. Race: Lost Glory - Wiesentraum - Firm Order
6. Race: Significant Move - Novel Dancer - Mogestic
7. Race: Always Managing - Atomic Tangerine - Bronwydd

5 more poor meetings today

another day with 5 meetings, but all at a very low level. The most valuable races are at Nottingham, the 10 furlongs handicap at 16.45 CET and the 6 furlongs handicap at 17.50 have much better prize-money than is normal here, but they are only average class 3 races. Big fields and very open betting in each however and very tricky for punters; our very hesitant selections are Raze Your Gaze (Clive Cox/ Ryan Tate) in the former and Diamond Lady (William Stone/ Freddie Tylicki) in the latter event.
There is also flat racing in the U.k. this afternoon at Salisbury and Newcastle. At the former track, the 10 furlongs handicap at 16.55 has attracted quite a select field and we are interested in the lightly-raced Basem (Saeed bin Suroor/ Richard Hughes). He has won two of his 3 starts and is out of the German Group One winner Gonbarda, which makes him a half-brother to the top- class Farhh. This is a much tougher race than the ones he has contested so far, but we hope that he is up to the task.
The most interesting race at Newcastle is the 2 mile handicap at 17.40 in which Moscato (Sir Mark Prescott/ Luke Morris) looks certain to start a hot favourite. he has been given a typical Prescott preparation and has won 3 of his last 4 races since being moved up in trip. He could easily score again, but he is not a good bet at his likely orice and we prefer fellow 3yo Arcamante (Karl Burke/ Danny Tudhope), who is still a maiden but has been placed several times and is certainly capable of winning off this rating.
In Ireland there is an all-chase fixture at Sligo. We like Plan A /Gordon Elliott/ Mark Walsh) in the 2 1/2 mile handicap at 17.25; he has clearly had his problems, but the stable is now in great form.


Betting forecast:
1. Race: Just Us Two - Able Spirit - Kill Or Cure
2. Race: Imperial Link - Waldnah - Chapel Choir
3. Race: Hillgrove Angel - Philba - North Bay Lady
4. Race: Raise Your Gaze - Donny Rover - Excellent Puck
5. Race: Faure Island - Unforgiving Minute - Emef Diamond
6. Race: Triple Chocolate - Arctic Feeling - Amadeus Wolfe Tone
7. Race: Eternitys Gate - Dusty Storm - Only Ten Per Cent