Saint-Cloud today

the big race in France today is the Group One Criterium International for 2yo´s over a mile at 14.35 at Saint-Cloud. This has attracted a very strong field, including 3 British runners - Rerouted (Barry and Michael Hills), Pisco Sour (Hughie Morrison/ Jimmy Fortune) and Abjer (Clive Brittain/ Richard Hills), all with good form, but we expect the prize to go to Ireland via Aidan O´Brien´s Roderic O´Connor (Johnny Murtagh). The son of Galileo was an excellent runner-up to the top-class Frankel in the Dewhurst Stakes last time, and this is clearly the best form on offer. The best of the French could be Godolphin´ s unbeaten French Navy (André Fabre/ Maxime Guyon), but Ziyarid (Alain de Royer-Dupre´/ Christophe Lemaire) and Salto (Freddie Head/ Olivier Peslier) are also respected, while Maiguri must prove that his second place in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere was no fluke.

The main supporting feature is the Group The Prix Perth over a mile at 15.40, where there could well be a German winner, as Alianthus (Jens Hirschberger/ Adrie de Vries) comes into the race in top form, having won similar events at Cologne and Düsseldorf. The front-runner is well suited by soft ground and will make them all go today. Unfortunately the Cologne event was a Group Two, so that he has a 2 1/2 kilos penalty, but we still expect him to run a big race. Ex-German Kali (Miriam Bollack-Badel/ Stephane Pasquier) also has a penalty, having won the German 1,000 Guineas, but she has not run since her excellent second place at Chantilly in early June. More dangerous could be Rajsaman (Head/ Davy Bonilla), Skins Game (Jean-Claude Rouget/ Ioritz Mendizibal) and the two Godolphin runners Colonial (Mikael Barzalona) and Royal Revival (Guyon), both trained by Fabre. Usbeke, the other German-trained runner, looks out of his depth here while Forthemllionkiss is a non-runner.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Ballet Move - Shareta - Ensemble
2. Race: Modern History - Wonder Charm - Pareo
3. Race: Roderic O`Connor - French Navy - Havane Smoker
4. Race: Marendinio - Aristote - Zimri
5. Race: Colonial - Rajsaman - Alianthus
6. Race: Armanty - Timelord - Italian Wizard
7. Race: Delta Black Sheep - Kalti Rose - Chamouille
8. Race: Question d`Or - Tout En Bleu - Thalamon

Carlisle, Huntingdon and Lingfield

The only flat racing in the U.K today is on the all-weather at Lingfield. Most of the races are low level handicaps, and the main interest will be in the continuing battle for the jockeys championship (which ends on Saturday) between Paul Hanagan and Richard Hughes. Hanagan leads currently by 4 and has 7 rides while Hughes has a full book of 8. In our view, Hanagan´s best chances are on Mark Johnston´s Herostratus at 15.50 CET, Richard Fahey´ s Bohemian Music at 15.20 and the speedy Le Toreador (Kevin Ryan) in the 5 furlongs handicap at 16.55, the best race on the card, while Hughes has prospects on Commander Wish and Durgan in the two divisions of the 6 furlongs handicap at 14.10 and 14.40, and on Richard Hannon´s Sweet Secret at 17.20. However none of these really stands out, and it is quite conceivable that neither of them will ride a winner.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Cantor - Circus Star - Whiplash Willie
2. Race: Rio Royale - Commander Wish - Metropolitan Chief
3. Race: Best One - Durgan - Mushy Peas
4. Race: Lang Shining - Ahlawy - Green Earth
5. Race: Herostatus - Beggar`S Opera - Dakiyah
6. Race: Countess Comet - Bahamian Music - Commerce
7. Race: Nickel Silver - Piscean - Ziggy Lee
8. Race: April Fool - Sweet Secret - Recalcitrant




The jumps racing is much better. especially at Carlisle, where there is a field of 5 in the intermediate chase over 2 1/2 miles at 15.40. Weird Al (Ian Williams/ Noel Fehily) is the obvious favourite here, having won his last 4 races and he is indeed unbeaten since his debut almost 3 years ago. He could well go right to the top, but only races sporadically and today we prefer Cape Tribulation (Malcolm Jefferson/ Timmy Murphy), in receipt of 12 lbs and the only one in the field to have run this season. The valuable Cumberland Chase, a 3 1/4 mile handicap at 16.10, looks much more competitive. Palace Merano (Donald McCain/ Graham Lee) runs for the first time for his in.form trainer, having previously been with Willie Mullins. Top-weight Gentle Ranger (David Pipe/ Tom Scudamore) represents the team that won Ascot´s big handicap chase yesterday, while we have slight preference for the very consistent Bay Cherry (Howard Johnson/ Brian Hughes).

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Blenheim Brook - Sunnyside - Noble Scholar
2. Race: Make It Blossom - Native Coll - The Rustlin Rhino
3. Race: No Supper - Cool Operator - Zahara Joy
4. Race: Weird Al - The Hollinwell - Cape Tribulation
5. Race: Gentle Ranger - Palace Merano - Bay Cherry
6. Race: Roudoudou Ville - Lindseyfield Lodge - Locked Inthepocket
7. Race: Touch Of Spring - Opera North - Serenader




Ian Williams also has good chances at Huntingdon where Wayward Prince (Dougie Costello) can dominate the novice chase over 3 miles at 14.55. The 2 mile handicap chase at 16.00 looks wide open; our 3 against the field are Award Winner (Brendan Powell/ Tony McCoy), Sunday City (Peter Bowen/ Jamie Moore) and bottom-weight Arctic Ben (Henry Daly/ Richard Johnson).

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Taketimeout - Richmond - Up To The Mark
2. Race: Wayward Prince - Quentin Collonges - Arkose
3. Race: Mossley - Harvest Song - Hoback Junction
4. Race: Arctic Ben - Sunday City - Knight Legend
5. Race: Buds Dilemma - Mcqueen - Handtheprizeover
6. Race: Amuse Me - Sonic Anthem - Carrig An Uisce

Ireland today

Today sees the final flat meeting on turf of 2010 in Ireland at Leopardstown (from now on there is only all-weather racing at Dundalk), while a good jumps card is scheduled for Cork (assuming the track passes an inspection). Two listed races feature on the Leopardstown card, a 7 furlongs race at 15.10 CET and a 2yo race over 9 furlongs at 15.45. Neither seem very strong, and we hope that Libano (Keagan Latham) can repeat his 2009 victory in the former event, in which he is one of 3 Dermot Weld entries. There are only 5 runners in the 2yo race and Obligation (Aidan O´Brien/ Seamus Heffernan), though probably far from the best juvenile in his powerful stable that has taken this event 7 times already this century, can oblige. The big betting race is the November Handicap over 2 miles at 16.15 with 21 runners. The interesting one here is Pittoni (Charlie Byrnes/ Kevin Manning), who was banned from running for 42 days after his last eye-catching run. Top-weight Majestic Con corde (Weld/ Liam Roche) has a touch of class and rates a big danger.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Asheerah - Manieree - Wonder Of Wonders
2. Race: Giants Serapis - Diogenes - Saqil
3. Race: Eagle Canyon - Nucals Star - Deire Na Sli
4. Race: Luisant - Stunning View - Croisultan
5. Race: Obligation - Banksters Bonus - Tiz The Shot
6. Race: What A Charm - Pittoni - Baron De`L
7. Race: Waydownsouth - Hawkhill - Super Say
8. Race: Dark Prospect - Saajidah - Prospectorous




At Cork, the Grade 3 novice chase over 2 1/2 miles at 16.25 can go to Muirhead (Noel Meade/ Paul Carberry), who was the best of these over hurdles. He receives weight from the smart Beau Micheal (Adrian McGuinness/ Barry Geraghty), who has already won 5 times this year. The Grade 3 novice hurdle at 14.45 has only 5 runners but still looks quite tricky. Tom Hogan has two good chances here with last-time-out-winners Mount Helicon (Joe Cullen) and Moon over Moscow (Ruby Walsh), but the problem here is that none of the runners has form over today´s distance of 3 miles. The big betting race here is the Cork Grand National over 3 1/2 miles at 15.20, but the field looks rather sub-standard. Miss Mitch (Pat Fahy/ Davy Russell), previously with the Alners, has been running in better events but has a big weight here and we prefer the very lightly-weighted Sigma Lifestyle (Meade/ Davy Condon).

Later: Cork goes head after early morning inspection

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Magical Memoir - Silas Mariner - Caracal
2. Race: Mount Helicon - Original Option - Tango Knight
3. Race: Sigma Lifestyle - Streets Of Gold - Operation Houdini
4. Race: Dare To Doubt - Model County Lass - Knockraha Lad
5. Race: Farringdon - Muirhead - Beau Michael
6. Race: Lea Lady - Special Token - Corrick Bridge
7. Race: Valleymount - Thieving Gypsy - Quiet Thought