Looking at the racing at Fontainebleau today, with a couple of races of interest.

The 11.25 is a Chase in which the favourite Akwaba is very skinny odds at around 4/6. I would prefer to back Matador Forez, who is generally priced around 100/30 with most firms. He was third in the same race as Akwaba last time and is a couple of pounds better off today. He has a few lengths to find, but is a nice type who can keep on improving.

Bathea De Ballain 1.12 is another worth backing each-way at around 5/1. She ran well on her sole start over the track and trip on debut and was tenderly handled. With natural improvement she can give a good account of herself.

More soon.

Good results for my followers yesterday. Leopard Du Berlais won easily in the 1:15 at Auteuil and looks like the best young horse in France at the moment.

Kaadam, in the 3:07 and backed each way by me at 22/1, was travelling strongly and looked to have a big chance when he landed too steeply two fences from home and fell. He had every chance of winning at the time. He has been prone to jumping errors this season, but if he puts it all together, there’s another big prize in him.

At Cheltenham, Alexei — whom I backed on Saturday at 9/1 — won the big handicap hurdle comfortably at around 3/1. He was well supported in the betting throughout the day.

More soon.

Looking at the racing at Cheltenham today, which will run on very soft ground. The big handicap hurdle at 3.30 is well contested with several of the field with leading claims, having shown form on soft/heavy ground before. The horse I backed yesterday at 9/1 was Alexei, who has been strongly supported into around 7/2 with some firms. He should be ok on the ground, and was impressive at Ascot when winning 15 days ago in a handicap hurdle. He needs to step forward from that success.

At Auteuil in France, on ground that will be sticky and ride classed as heavy, Leopard Du Berlais has looked like a class act in his two starts, winning at the track on each of them. He will be a strong favourite in the 1.15 race, which is a Grade 1 hurdle worth 162,000 euros to the winner.

I have backed Kaadam each way at 22/1 in the Prix La Haye Jousselin (Grade 1) Chase 3.07. He is a top-class performer on his day and has been below par on both starts this season, both at Auteuil. He will need to jump better than he did last time, when he unseated his rider. At big odds, he is a bit of value; if he returns to the form of old, he can be involved.

Looking at the declared runners for Cheltenham tomorrow, it looks like the races will have fairly decent-sized fields.

Jonbon tries to repeat his success from last year in the Shloer Chase at 2.55pm. He faces a live threat in L’eau Du Sud, who improved through the season last term, with a win in a Grade 1 chase at Sandown in December, and finished off the season with a pleasing third at Aintree in a Grade 1 chase in April. He can make things interesting, although Jonbon will be expected to come out on top.

More soon.

Reflecting on the Breeders Cup meeting at Del Mar yesterday, it was good to see Frankie Dettori bow out in one piece, although he has indicated that he will be riding in South America in the next few months.

He has said it has been on his ‘Bucket List’ for a few years and has always been asked to ride in that part of the world.

Looking at the racing today, in France at Angers, the going will be very testing. I reviewed a number of the races a couple of days ago for my other role I have been working on for the last couple of years.

Hermetic in the 10.15 is improving with race experience and beat a couple of today’s rivals when he won last time at Le Mans in early October. He handles the soft/heavy ground well and can confirm form with Kando and Spanish Prince, whom he beat recently.

At Deauville, the racing looks competitive, with some well-contested races on the all-weather surface.

I did think Child Of Vision would be better suited by the drop back in trip today. She ran freely on the turf at Lyon Parilly in mid-September when not disgraced in finishing third. She is well drawn in stall 2, and if allowed to use her stride, she could get off the mark.

At Carlisle, Newmarket trainer Lucy Wadham sends Telepathique on the long journey to Cumbria and looks like the most likely winner in the 1.32 race, which is a Mares Listed chase. This is her return run for the new season. She made all the running when winning a Listed chase at Huntingdon in February on her last start.

Looking at the racing in France today at Le Lion D’Angers. In the 1.00, it is hard to look beyond the likely favourite Saif Al Leith. He ran a pleasing second on debut over this track in June and was far from disgraced in a Class 2 race at Saint-Cloud on his latest start earlier this month. He can score at the expense of the newcomer, North Ice.

Wor Faayth makes the trip from Malton in Yorkshire to contest the Listed race at 2.55. She won on her latest run at Carlisle late in June by three lengths, and with Christophe Soumillon booked to ride, she can make the journey over worthwhile.

Looking ahead to the racing in France tomorrow at Longchamp. The racing starts at 12.58 with a Group 3 race over the minimum trip of 5 furlongs. Electric Storm won a Listed race at Bath on her return to action last month over 5 furlongs.

She has the assistance of Christophe Soumillon on top and could get the favourite backers off to a good start.

Audubon Park in the Group 2 race at 1.33 looks like she can keep her unbeaten record and give Soumillon a second winner. She was impressive when scoring in a Listed race at Saint-Cloud in early March and will be hard to beat.

In the Poule d’Essai des Poulins (2,000 Guineas) for colts at 3.25 it looks quite open. Ridari could be the best of the French runners and scored in his trial run over the course and distance in a Group 3 race on April 13th. He can give a good account of himself from stall 5. He is trading at around 8-1 and looks value.

In the fillies race Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at 4.05, it is hard to look beyond the favourite Zaragana, who won her trial race by a neck but will improve from that outing and is well drawn in stall 7.

Looking at the racing today in France, at Pau where the going will be very soft. In the 10.28 race, the likely favourite is Garliat Mue, who won on his debut over fences at this track in December, which was only his second start looks like a promising type. He was doing his best work at the finish that day, so the extra yardage today will suit.

His likely main threat could be Le Rivage who had a heavy fall on his latest start over fences at Pau in a Class 1 chase in mid-December. He looked booked for second place that day. The concern for him could be if he will be ok after that mishap, and will he jump with confidence.

Racing at Sandown and Wincanton has been called off due to frost. Southwell and Wolverhampton are currently going ahead. Cork in Ireland is also doubtful.

Looking at the race meeting at Deauville today, in the 4.10 race over 9 furlongs and 97 yards the heavily backed unbeaten favourite is Lady Of Spain who will be ridden by Christophe Soumillon for the first time.

She has won all three of her runs so far and was value for a bit more when she scored at Southwell on the all-weather surface last time, as she was hampered when making her first bit of headway in the straight and did well to win under the circumstances. She is well-drawn, but it will not be easy as one filly who is value in the betting is Secretive, who ran well on the PSF at Chantilly last time when a close-up fourth in a competitive race against male rivals. She is the each-way angle in the race.

The George Boughey-trained Moonspirit is also one to consider. She is improving and likes all-weather surfaces. Her biggest concern is a wide draw.

More soon.

Reflecting on the racing yesterday at Cheltenham, it was good to see the return of Liberty Hunter 2.25 who scored under a confident ride from Harry Cobden. This horse is a classy performer, who is worth following for the rest of the season. His regular rider Adam Wedge was ruled out yesterday and Cobden was able to take charge and deliver.

At Windsor today we see the return of jump racing after a long absence. I always enjoyed riding at Windsor over obstacles as you always seemed to have room and had time from the last bend to make headway in the straight.

In the 1.20 race, which is a maiden hurdle. The Nicky Henderson-trained La Pinsonniere makes her debut in the UK, she had good form in France last season which includes placed efforts in Graded races over hurdles. She was second over fences last time at Angers and will no doubt go over fences in time for her new connections. She should get off the mark at short odds.

More soon.