Small fields again today at Lingfield, with a match race late in the card at 4.55.  I did think Divine Messenger would be very hard to beat in the first race at 2.10, he has the most consistent form of the four runners, and has won  at the track before, although he got the race taken off him in the stewards room.  Sandown is the main meeting today.  Jimmy The Digger tries hurdles today for the first time in the 2.00, if he jumps well, he could be the main threat to short odds favourite Precious Cargo, who looked useful, when winning at Kempton 39 days ago.  Gleno 4.45 was an easy winner last time, he runs here under a penalty, and should win again if none the worse for that recent success 9 days ago.  At Leicester in the 1.50, Hatcher tackles fences for the first time, he is a real keen front runner, if he respects his fences he can get off to a winning start for owner Pat Betts, who has had horses in training for many years, I rode for him when he had horses with Mark Tompkins in the 90’s !

More later.

Plenty of rain at the meeting at Carlisle today, the ground will ride on the heavy  side.  I do like one or two horses running at the track today, but I’m not sure they will handle the conditions as well as they do on decent ground. At Wincanton in the 2.10 I thought Peak To Peak would have a good each way chance, he is a horse I follow, and looked in need of the run last time when slightly dissapointing.  The heavy rain may be the biggest worry, but he takes his chance, so connections must think he will handle the going.

More later.

It was nice to get a winner for my subscribers yesterday.  Smarty Wild 2.15 Exeter was a big drifter in the betting, he went from evens-9/4 ! But was a really easy winner.  I also advised followers to back Song Saa 3.30 Newcastle, another drifter in the betting, she was 2/1, so a good day for horses unfancied in the betting.

Todays racing has a pretty awful look to it at Lingfield, only 19 horses running in 6 races.  Lots of trainers and jockeys have tried to boycott the meeting due to the dismal prize money.  I am not totally sure what the answer is to this on-going problem.  But to be racing in 2019 for under £3500 is ridiculous.

I have not really looked at the fields much at the meeting today, as three races are match events. Fontwell runners is pretty bad today as well.   Away For Slates 4.10 is looking for his third win, he should have no trouble in getting the hat trick.

Tonight at Kempton the races are a lot more competitive, Ironclad has been well backed in the 6.00, he is having his first run, and will need to be above average to make a winning debut.  The best race of the night is the 7.00. Spanish Mission could run well at decent odds, he was impressive last season when winning over 10f.  The drop back to 1 Mile today is a slight concern, plus this is a decent race.

Hopefully any followers took my advise and backed Canyon City 3.10 Fakenham yesterday, he was returned at 9/5 and with a good jump at the last hurdle, he got up near the line to win by a 1/2 length.

Today with rain around it may ride softer than forecast at Exeter.  So look for something that handles ground on the easy side of soft !

The same applies at Newcastle, both meetings look pretty competitive.  Song Saa 3:30 will be short odds to win, she has done little wrong of late, and should win again for her amateur jockey Noel George, who is the son of the mares trainer Tom.  At Wolverhampton this evening, Pink Flamingo could provide jockey Joe Fanning with another winner at 6.00, although top weight A Sure Welcome was unlucky last time, and is a course specialist, it will likely be a good race between the two as I see it.

Looking at yesterday’s racing.  Mootasadir was a good winner at Wolverhampton 6.45.   He is a horse to follow, as is Questionare who got up in the shadow of the winning post to catch Wanaasah and win by a nose, it was a good performance, as he was very green in the first half of the race and did well to win.

A delay at Fakenham, they have only raced the first two races, the 3.10 is going ahead in the next 5 minutes or so, not sure what the delay was for as I have been out of the house.  I did think Canyon City in the 3.10 , would stay the step up in trip and defy top weight.  Some average racing today I thought, at least the ground is not too soft at either turf track.

Every thing at the moment seems to be trainers getting ready for next weeks big meeting at Cheltenham.  The only ante post bet I have had was a few weeks ago, I backed Sir Erec for the Triumph hurdle at 11/4 , he is currently around 6/4 at the moment.  It is always a good meeting, and always hard to find winners, as everything is trying for their lives !

More later.

Looking at today’s racing.  Huntingdon card starts at 2.00 pm.  Some nice novices line up in this, Jimmy The Digger was really impressive in winning his bumper at Ludlow when last seen.  If he jumps well, he would be my choice in this race, his two main rivals, Ferobin, who has had a run over hurdles when second and Sammy Bill who showed promise on his hurdle debut, will be no pushovers.  I just thought that Jimmy The Digger had the best bumper form, looks a big unit, and if he likes jumping, he was the one to beat.  It could be a good race to watch as all three look well fancied by connections. Not too much else catches my attention today at the other meetings.  I did see that One For Arthur was a non runner at Kelso yesterday, this former Grand National winner was withdrawn, possibly because of the ground, although I am not certain of the exact reason.  It was a dissapointing day for favourite backers, a day for horses at decent odds.  I did think the last race was one that Aye Right could win, he was odds against in the morning, heavily backed into 4/6, he was not quite good enough to win, finishing a close second, possibly the 11.12 he carried was just beyond him.

Looking at the remaining races today.  I thought Le Torrent was good value at 5/1 in the 5.00 Lingfield, I have had a bit each way, I’m not too familiar with his apprentice , so only a cautious bet.  He has been fragile to train, but is talented and won well last time at Kempton,  coming from a long lay off that day.  At the evening meeting at Chelmsford tonight, the first race is a three year old Novice event.  Mustadun carries a penalty for his win at Newcastle 12 days ago, he looks a nice type.  The money in the betting market has been for the unraced  Moftris, he will have to be above average to beat Mustadun.  The rest of the races looking quite difficult to work out, White Coat is very short odds to win the 6.00, although a lot of this field are totally unexposed and could well be anything.   So I am not sure I would play the odds on shot in a 14 runner race.

More tomorrow.

I have missed most of today’s racing, travelling to the UK.  Looking at tonight’s evening meeting at Newcastle and Dundalk, I thought Edgewood could give Solar Park a race at 7.30, the short odds favourite Solar Park was really impressive when winning last time, although he had very little to beat that day.  I think it will be a closer race than the betting market sees it. At Dundalk the 7.45 is a really hot race, Western Australia looks the first string of the Ballydoyle stable, Barys of the Archie Watson stable, won well last time in France, he likes the all weather and likes to make the running, he could well run another good race at decent odds.

More tomorrow.

I just saw the first race at Mussleburgh at 1.35, the 1/2 favourite Constancio was leading when he ran out approaching the fourth flight, his jockey did his best to try and straighten his mount, but the horse was having none of it, he had just passed the stable yard on his left, and looked as though he knew where he was, a cock of his jaw and he was out of the race.

A bit of rain has fallen, but the majority of tracks probably needed some rain.  Looking at the racing today, it looks a good card at Meydan in the UAE.  Probably another day to back the Godolphin horses, but with three or more in a lot of the races, it’s tough.  I did think On The Warpath 5.25 would be ideally suited by the drop back to 7f today, he is a strong traveller, and struggled to see the 1 Mile trip out well on his recent runs.

At Ludlow the 3.00 is a decent race for a small field, I think you could make a case for three off the 5 runners.  Top weight Earlofthecotswolds is improving, and possibly just shades it here.  The 2.25 is just about to start, Kupatana is having her first run for Paul Nicholls today, she is 4/7 to win, she is not the most reliable jumper, but the very likely winner.

With only Kempton evening meeting left today, I have not had a bet at the day meetings, a couple of horses I was looking at this evening.  But one is poorly drawn, so I will watch it run.  Hungarian Rhapsody won last time, he made virtually all the running that day, and from his 9 stall this evening, he will need a lot of luck to be able to get his own way.  He runs at 8.00, in a race that is open enough. Verdana Blue is very short odds to win again in the 6.00, she should be more than good enough, this mare was a game winner over hurdles when last seen, she beat her stable mate that day, who is no less than current dual Champion hurdler Buvair D’Air.

The final race on tonight’s card looks very competitive.  Riva’s Rob Roy has been running well of late, he could again be right in the mix.