jumps racing at Catterick, jumpers bumpers at Kempton

Chepstow having been abandoned, Catterick now stages the only jumps racing today, but the card is low grade and some small fields do not make it any more inviting. Our best bet here is Campbonnais (Ali Brewer/ Adam Wedge) in the handicap chase at 16.20 CET. This ex-Irish chaser was much better than this class previously, and after a long break made his comeback for new trainer Brewer last week at Fakenham, winning very easily over 2 1/2 miles. He has been raised 11 lbs for that, but races off the same mark today and if he does not "bounce" should follow up; the extra 5 furlongs should not be a problem, as he had form in Ireland over this trip. Bottom-weight Big Sound (Tim Walford/ Grant Cockburn), who also ran well last week, looks the main danger. Ali Brewer could be completing a double here, as we also like her Proud Times (Jack Doyle) at 15.10, while Vice et Vertu (Henry Daly/ Richard Johnson) can win the novice hurdle at 15.45; he has won both his races over sticks and looks a nice prospect, though he may not find it easy to concede 22 lbs to lightly-raced 4yo River Bollin (Tim Easterby/ Dougie Costello).
The jumpers bumpers fixture at Kempton, an extra meeting to make up for all the recent abandonments, is much more interesting, and the 8 races, all over 2 miles, have large fields and have attracted runners from some of the top stable, notably Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson. Henderson´s Dawalan (David Bass) at 18.40 CET looks the best bet here; this very well-bred performer (a half-brother to flat champions Daylami and Dalakhani) is a very promising young hurdler who should have no problem winning this. German-bred Spanish Treasure probably has no chance here, but Dawn Command has each-way possibilities at 17.40 (although we cannot see him beating Henderson`s Shakalakaboomboom, going for the Grand National, or Nicholls´ Southfield Theatre), and we really like the chances of the Monsun gelding Milord (Kim Bailey/ Nick Scholfield) at 18.10; this rather highly strung character has fallen in his last two races over hurdles - both times looking the likely winner- and may find it easier now with no obstacles in the way.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Makhzoon - Hunters Belt - Belle De Fontenay
2. Race: Kolonel Kirkup - Marlborough House - Great Demeanor
3. Race: Fitandproperjob - Easydoesit - Blackwater King
4. Race: Classic Move - River Bollin - Mister Jones
5. Race: Pudsey House - Romany Ryme - Hartforth
6. Race: Chicklemix - Kykate - Billy Cuckoo
7. Race: Oleohneh - Philosofy - Bulas Belle

2 Group Twos at Meydan

the Dubai Racing Carnival goes into its fourth day today with another high class card, including two Group Two races. Main feature is the Cape Verdi for fillies and mares over a mile on turf at 16.50 CET and all eyes will be on Certify (Charlie Appleby/ Mikael Barzalona), the Champion 2yo filly in Britain in 2012 but off the track for 16 months as a result of the ban on the al Zarooni stable last year. She faces strong opposition from the other Godolphin runner Shuruq (Saeed bin Suroor/ Silvestre de Sousa), a track specialist who has already won nicely here this year and last year took the UAE Oaks, and French 1,000 Guineas winner Flotilla (Mikael Delzangles/ Christophe Lemaire), but Certify, if back to her best, could win this.
The Al Rashidiyah over 9 furlongs on turf at 18.00 has a much larger field and looks very open, but Mike de Kock, with 2 runners, and Godolphin, with 3, could dominate here, and we give Mushreq (Dane O´Neill) and Tasaday (de Sousa) the best chances.
As usual, the South African trainer and the two Godolphin trainers all have several runners on the card and they will no doubt all be visiting the winners enclosure. Twolomngshots from otjher stables who might run well at a big proice are Monsieur Joe in the opening 5 furlongs handicap at 15.40 and Sahawar (Christophe Ferland/Thierry Thulliez) -owned by the boss! - over 9 1 /2 furlongs at 16.15; both made little show on their first run here but could do much better this time.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Merhee - Abstraction - Medicean Man
2. Race: String Theory - Abdel - Start Right
3. Race: Flotilla - Shuruq - L`Amour de Ma Vie
4. Race: Zahee - Tamarkuz - The Gold Cheongsam
5. Race: Tasaday - Mushreq - Trade Storm
6. Race: Energia Eros - Busker - Master Plan

Wincanton and Thurles

racing has been abandoned at Toiwcester today, but the meeting at Wincanton goes ahead, and the going there will obviously be very soft/ heavy, as it also is at the Irish N.H. meeting at Thurles.
There is some competitive racing at Wincanton, but our best bet of the day is Vieux Lion Rouge (David Pipe/ Tom Scudamore) in the opening novice hurdle at 14.40; he won 3 bumpers and looks a very smart recruit to hurdling judged on his easy debut win over this CD a fortnight ago. He has a 6 lbs penalty, but that should not stop him winning again. German-bred A Keen Sense (David Dennis/ Aidan Coleman) is one of his 13 opponents here; the Sholokhov gelding is probably capable of winning over sticks, but needs to improve quite a bid over the form he has so far shown. A German-bred with a much better chance in our opinion is Silsol (Paul Nicholls/ Daryl Jacob) in the handicap hurdle half an hour later; this looks quite a hot race for the grade and top-weights Shantou Magic (Charlie Longsdon/ Noel Fehily) and Uhlan Bute (Venetia Williams/ Coleman) have already shown decent form, biut we are not sure that they can concede so much weight to the Soldier Hollow gelding, who could be well handicapped here. Venetia could well take the following handicap chase, in which both her runners Carrickboy (Liam Treadwell) and Bennies Mist, an easy CD winner last time, should be involved; this is another tricky race, but we feel that Carrickboy, who has been running in much better company, may be able to defy top weight. The mares novice hurdle at 16.10 should be between Keshi Pearl (Henry Daly/ Richard Johnson) and Tagrita (Nicholls/ Jacob), both penalised but both looking promising.
There are huge fields at Thurles, but more quantity than quality. Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh can do no wrong at present, and they can take the mares beginners chase at 15.05 with Chiltern Hills, despite the fact that she has been pulled up on both her chasing starts so far. Our main fancies here are Synchronicity (Charlie Byrnes/ Davy Russell) at 15.35 and Sizing Coal (Jim Dreaper/ Andrew Lynch) half an hour later, both of whom finished runner-up last time and can go one better now.

Betting forecast Wincanton:
1. Race: Vieux Lion Rouge - Lady Charisma - Civil War
2. Race: Silsol - Ainsi Fideles - Uhlan Bute
3. Race: Bennys Mist - Bertie Boru - Forgotten Gold
4. Race: Keshi Pearl - Miner Distraction - Brantingham Breeze
5. Race: Tresor De Bontee - Notarfbad - Brick Red
6. Race: Richard`S Sundance - Shy John - Coombe Hill
7. Race: Brother Tedd - Davy Doubt - Dashaway