Competitive handicaps

With Cheltenham now only 10 days away, there are no races today for the top performers, but there are some very competitive handicaps, especially at Newbury and Doncaster.

At the Berkshire course we think that ´Venetia Williams could have a good day. She runs two in the veterans handicap chase at 15.15 CET and we prefer Relax (the choice of stable jockey Aidan Coleman), who now seems quite nicely handicapped. We also like Benny´s Mist at 16.25, but are worried here about ex-German Seventh Sky (Charlie Mann/ Barry Geraghty), a brother to Samum and co, who has been in great form this season but is up quite a bit in the weights. King of Glory at 17.35 is another Williams/ Coleman runner with good prospects. Another stable coming into form is Alan King´s and we like his First Mohican (Denis O´regan) at 15.50; this smart flat handicapper has been a disappointment over hurdles but is surely capable of winning here.

At Doncaster the handicap chase over 3 1/4 miles at 16.45 is the main event and to us the top two in the weights stand out- Mon Parrain (Paul Nicholls/ Sean Bowen) and Night in Milan (Keith and James Revely); the latter won this last year and although 10 lbs higher now, can go in again. AP McCoy is here and can win the first 2 races on Fort Worth at 14.25 and Festive Affair at 15.00, both for Jonjo O´Neill, while the trainer - who is red hot now-. can also take the 16.10 with Kelvingrove (Maurice Lineham).

The main feature in Ireland, on Leopardstown´s last jumping fixture of the season, is also a handicap chase at 16.50. Colbert Station (Ted and Ruby Walsh) likes it here and has come down in the weights, so he is the choice in another very tricky affair.

Newbury and Doncaster

The two N.H. tracks today both have much stronger cards tomorrow. but Newbury and Doncaster have some competitive racing today as well, and are much more interesting than the all-weather meetings.

AP McCoy continues his triumphant farewell tour of Britain at Newbury and we expect him to have another good day. He can certainly win the first two races on Sebastian Beach at 15.00 CET and Minella Rocco half an hour later, both trained by Jonjo O´Neill and likely to start warm favourites. O´Neill is also the trainer of Bandit Country, who makes his chasing debut at 16.35; this is always a risk, but we think that he is quite well handicapped here on his hurdling form, and although owned by Coolmore, he is bred to be a chaser. O`Neill and McCoy also team up with Official Ben at 17.40, but this looks trickier, especially as he is up considerably in trip. Island Cruise (Pat Murphy/ Leighton Aspell) ran well enough last time at Warwick to suggest that he can score here.

A coiuple of old German-breds catch our eye at Doncaster, Favorite Girl (Mike Appleby/ Jonathan England), who hads top-weight in the Mares´handicap hurdle at 17.20, and Quicuyo (James Ewart/ Lucy Alexander). The former had no chance in a better race here last time, but in this grade must go close, while the latter, now a veteran of 12, has done us many good turns over the years and loves Doncaster, here he has won 3 times; he is extremely well handicapped on his old form, and while he has probably deteriorated a bit since then, can still show today that there is life in the old dog yet.

Racing all over today

We have racing all over the place today, with 2 U.K. jumps meetings, 2 U.K.all-weather meetings, Irish jumping and of course the latest card in the Dubai World Cup Carnival. Main event at Meydan is the UAE Oaks at 16.55 CET. Saeed bin Suroor usually wins this race and should saddle the first two today with Local Time (James Doyle) and Good Place (William Buick), who finished first and second in the UAE 1,000 Guineas last time; Sharasai (Mike de Kock/ Paul Hanagan) finished third then, but Local Time won so easily that it is hard to see her getting beaten today and the extra 300 yards should be no major problem. Godolphin could also take the other group race, over a mile at 18.40, with either Safety Check (Buick) or Outstrip (Doyle), both trained by Charlie Appleby. Mike de Kock has 3 runners here, with Christophe Soumillon presumably riding the one with the best chance Darwin. Ex-German Empire Storm (Mike Attwater/ Paul Hanagan) has been running well here and could run into a place.

The best race in Britain and Ireland is the Grade Two novice hurdle at 16.15 at Thurles. One wonders what the point of such a race can be just 12 days before Cheltenham and the field is pretty weak. Willie Mullins obviously thinks that Milsean (Bryan Cooper) is not good enough for Gloucestershire but he could certainly be good enough here.

Of the German-breds running in the U.K. today, we like Low Key (David Pipe/ Conor O´Farrell) in the novice hurdle at 14.50 at Ludlow; he had decent form in Germany and was not disgraced on his first race over sticks. He is closely ralted to Lycidas (Charlie Fellowes/ Steve Donohue) who runs on the flat at 16.40 at Southwell; he has not run since finishing down the field in the 2012 Dr. Busch-Memorial and is probably best watched today.