Looking at the racing today in France at Dax. In the last race at 7.32 Miltown Malbay could follow up from a win on her debut at Niort last month. She got up in the shadows of the finish that day and will have learned a lot from that. Her main rival is Likata who herself won last time when getting up close home on her second run. She fell on her debut when looking well beaten at Dieppe.

More soon.

At Le Mans today where the ground will be quite testing I would imagine, the 10.40 race looks as though it could be between the front pair in the betting market. On Y Croit was a shade unlucky when last seen at Pornichet on the PSF when he was third. He raced keenly and got going late that day having been keen early on in that race and the drop back in trip should play to his strength’s. He has also won on heavy ground so the going will be ok. His possible main rival looks like it could be Georges Ville, who scored on debut at Deauville over slightly further than today’s 7 furlong race. That was on the PSF and although he should be fine on the ground, he has still to prove it. He looks a big horse who will keep on improving with race experience and time.

More tomorrow.

Looking forward to the Cheltenham festival next week. It is a shame that the Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill is a non runner due to his poor work out at Kempton and a dirty scope after that. I would hope he will be back for the Aintree meeting in a few weeks or maybe the Punchestown meeting in April.

Hopefully I can find a winner or two before Tuesday. One that will be no great price but will be hard to beat today in the 3.07 Compiegne is Sea Salinas. She was unlucky last time and although very short odds it is hard to see past her.

More tomorrow.

Looking at the racing from Deauville today. One horse that will be short odds in the betting market but looked full of promise when he was second on debut at this track last time is Dollar Index 16.13 race. He was not given a hard time and should make plenty of progress from that encouraging run.

After a good break hopefully I can start punters off with a winner today in France. Tamariske 3.35 Lyon La Soie has been racing in better races of late and should be too good for her rivals in this drop in Grade today. She has a handy weight and has cheekpieces for the first time today, Zarica looks the main rival as she is a prolific winner in claiming races and will do her best to beat the selection. The 5kg she has to concede might be a bit too much.

Very soft ground at most of the racecourses in the UK at the moment. I will be primarily concentrating on the racing in France over the next few weeks. The ground in France has been very soft/heavy at plenty of the meetings with the exception of the all weather tracks.

I will hopefully try to find a winner or two over the next few days.

More tomorrow.

Plenty of meetings today. In France at Moulins the racing gets underway at 11.00am, with the first race a 7f claimer. I think On The Edge could be a bit of value at around 5/1 for each way backers as she has been in form and likes the 7f trip. Later in the day at Argentan in the 4.35 race Assiniboine steps up in trip after a win last time when ridden by the apprentice rider (retains the ride) who claims a handy 8lb off his back. He is currently 4/5 but I thought he was value as he is a big unit who will improve a good deal for his recent success and was a cosy winner by a neck last time.

In the UK at Epsom Downs I thought Magico 2.30 ran a promising debut at Haydock when fifth behind some nice horses, the second has scored since by 5L. He will need to break on terms as he was slowly away at Haydock and was doing his best work at the finish. Jersey Rocs 2.25 Ripon should get favourite backers off to a good start under in form William Buick. Kathab 4.10 is another that looks to be progressing with racing and could be the answer to a competitive handicap over a mile.

Looking at today’s racing from York, where the going will ride on the fast side of good to firm, as indicated by some quick times yesterday. I do like Johannes Brahms 3.00. He is lightly raced having only had the two runs so far, a very good effort when second on his latest run in a Listed race at Royal Ascot in June. He should have plenty of improvement in him from that effort and the 6f trip today should be ideal. He might have most to fear from the once raced King’s Gamble, who won on debut and his trainer Ralph Beckett has his horses in good form.

At Newmarket there are a couple of penalty kicks as I see it. Broadway Act 3.15 and Measured Time 4.25 both trained by Charlie Appleby should win without any real problems.

The 2.15 Ffos Las is a very competitive race for a maiden. Any one of 5 could win it. I do think Go Daddy at 4/1 is a tempting bet, he was a shade unlucky on debut at Sandown when third and can be a lot more ‘streetwise’ today.

More soon.

Having just watched the first race at Newton Abbot, where the eventual winner Stepney Causeway was left at the start by over 25 Lengths, yet managed to get up on the run-in and win by about a head. It was a good ride by Harry Reed as he did not rush his horse in the early part of the race and just crept into a slowly run affair. The ride on the runner-up Valentino Dancer who was odds on to win was less inspiring. As far as I know, Paddy Brennan is qualified as a jockey coach. He is one of the most untidy riders in the weighing room and does plenty wrong himself, especially in a finish. He is decent over an obstacle and presenting his horses at a jump but I am baffled as to why someone as ‘messy’ in a finish can teach young riders. He has no contact with the horse’s mouth, his reigns are dangling, and he is a complete shambles at the business end of a race as I see it. One thing I was taught and it is vital in a finish, if you have the horse balanced and collected, they will run in as straight a line as possible to the winning post. If you have no contact with the horse’s mouth and are riding like Paddy does, they wander off a straight line, and lose momentum and give ground away- it’s that simple. I think Paddy needs coaching himself.

On to the rest of today. At Dax this evening in France 5.52, I like Messina who is around 9/4 with most firms. She won in Madrid on debut and then ran second. Her latest effort was in Listed company where she was fifth, and was not beaten very far. This is much calmer waters and the favourite Sparkling Light looked too keen last time and did not finish her race off. I think Messina is a bit of value and can get the job done.

Looking at the racing from Goodwood yesterday, I thought the French filly Blue Rose Cen was an unlucky loser. She was fourth in the Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes for fillies and mares. Her rider tried to make ground on the inside 2f from home when not having sufficient room at a crucial stage, Ryan Moore rightly closed the door on his mount Above The Curve. It was pilot error from the French rider Aurelien Lemaitre who then found he was boxed in behind the winner Al Husn and Above The Curve.

On to today. I like a couple in France, Kalca Mome 2.07 Saint Malo and Keller Dodville, who has Christophe Soumillon on top, he goes in the 3.00 Clairefontaine. Both ran well on debut and should improve a good deal for that experience.

More soon.