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.

Apologies for no post on Saturday. It was a strange race the Group 1 King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot. The front pair in the betting, Auguste Rodin and Emily Upjohn ran no sort of races. The O’Brian horse was beaten fully 3 furlongs from home. He must have some issue and it was a similar story with the filly Emily Upjohn, she found nothing when asked to go by her rider Frankie Detttori.

It ended up a good finish with Hukum just prevailing from Westover. I thought both horses got good rides, and the best horse won.

On to today. At Vittel in France I like Haiti Du Berlais in the 11.10 race, she is around 11/10 and although she has top weight, she won well last time and should be too good for her rivals.

At Lingfield this evening I like Magic Memories each way in the 6.57 race, he has not got the ideal draw in 3 but ran well last time when third at Windsor and if he can master the current favourite Molaqab, he should win. He is around 11/2 with most firms.

More soon.

Good racing today with 6 meetings in the UK and Down Royal and Cork in Ireland. At Ascot where the ground like most tracks at the moment will be on the soft side. I thought Gaassee could have a good chance of getting back in the winners enclosure 3.35. His stable are in form and he should be fine on the ground. At Thirsk where it will be soft ground, Darnation 2.35 was a good third on debut at Haydock at the start of this month, with progress expected from that run she could be worth backing at around 3/1.

At Newmarket this evening, racing gets under way at 5.52. The son of Calyx and current favourite is Habrdi who makes his debut, he looks good on paper and is from the astute George Boughey yard. He could be well drawn in 14 and has been showing some talent on the gallops. Naqeeb will be short odds to win the 7.35 race, he stayed on strongly last time at Newbury over 10f, today he has an extra 2f and should be too smart for his rivals.

I will put a post out tomorrow, with a really good card at Ascot. The big race at 3.40 is the King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Group 1) with a really top-class field. I am not sure what I would back if given a choice, possibly Emily Upjohn each way as she has Dettori back on top. It is an open race and looks like a really intriguing contest.

Some good racing today at Newbury where the going should be good. Maximum Dividend 2.25 was a good second at Sandown earlier this month and will improve a good deal for that run. He can be too smart for his rivals, although I have heard that the Roger Varian horse Boiling Point is nice. At Newmarket this evening I like Ziryab in the 7.30 race, he ran well at Ascot on his last run and should get the better of the older rival Royal Symbol.

In France at Vichy where the going could be on the soft side, Pepete 3.00 has been second on her last three runs. She wears cheekpieces but looks honest enough and this looks her best opportunity so far to win. She was second to a useful horse in Kumaite twice, and nothing of his quality line up unless the unraced Astra Dream is useful.

More soon.