Kempton (a.w.) and Navan (Ireland)

Kempton today stages the first British listed race on the flat of 2010 and the Ladybird Stakes over a mile at 16.45 CET has attracted a strong field with 12 runners. However with several of them coming off a long break and others moving up from handicaps into listed company, this looks a tricky event to bet on. The two highest-rated runners are Plum Pudding (Richard Hannon/ Richard Hughes) and Yahrab (Clive Brittain/ Neil Callan), so they have to be on the short list, along with Irish raider Six of Hearts, despite his outside draw. Spinning and Black Dahlia must also be considered. The 7 furlongs handicap here at 16.10 could go to bottom -weight Ejeed (Zoe Davison/ Ross Atkinson), who is moving up in grade but has now won twice over this CD and can complete a quick hat-trick. German-bred Kristallo (Paul Webber/ Dane O´Neill), a son of Lando, was also a CD winner last time and can follow up in the 2 mile handicap at 17.20.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Coolree Star - Little Perisher - Miss Lesley
2. Race: Brave Talk - The Great Husk - Fair Nella
3. Race: Ejeed - Ocean Legend - Cut And Thrust
4. Race: Plum Pudding - Six Of Hearts - Splinter Cell
5. Race: Follow The Dream - Sir Sandicliffe - Kristallo
6. Race: Premier Lad - Steel City Boy - Love You Louis
7. Race: The Geester - Valentino Swing - Captain Kallis




There is a good jumps card at Navan with 3 graded racs, with the Willie Mullins/ Ruby Walsh team strongly represented in all of them. They can take the Boyne Hurdle at 15.10 with Mourad - we do not believe that oldtimer and ex-Gold Cup winner War of Attrition can give him weight - and the novice chase at 17.25 with the unpronouceable Uimhiraceasthair. However we are not sure about their runner Shakervilz in the novice chase at 17.55, as he has little in hand of Sorcerer (Arthur Moore/ Davy Russell) on latest running, and neither of them may be able to cope with Osana (Edward O´Grady/ Andrew McNamara), who can strengthen his Cheltenham claims by winning here. Our best bet of the day here is ex-German Champus (Noel Meade/ Paul Carberry), who did too much in front when caught close home last time and can defeat Cadspeed (Mullins/ Walsh) -and 22 others! -in the maiden hurdle at 16.15.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Kerb Appeal - Curling - Monastrell
2. Race: Mourad - War Of Attrition - Ninetieth Minute
3. Race: Lastoftheleaders - L`Oiseau De Feu - Peak Raider
4. Race: Cadspeed - Champus - Lucky William
5. Race: Pickapocketortwo - Toor Brook Honours - Ballyburke
6. Race: Uimhiraceathair - Orpheus Valley - Coolcashin
7. Race: Osana - Shakervilz - Major Finnegan