Low-key jumping fare

The Flat takes centre stage this weekend with the Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan and, a bit nearer to home, the William Hill Lincoln at Doncaster.

The jumping fare on offer looks decidedly run-of-the-mill - I don't intend to play.

A few notes which may be of interest... The maiden hurdle at Uttoxeter has been split into two divisions - Raktiman looks to have decent claims in the first leg (1.55) but will be priced accordingly while Mabel Tasman might offer some each-way value against rivals from bigger yards in the second division (3.05). The mare appeared to run out of petrol (know the feeling?) at Wincanton the other day over two miles six; the slighlty shorter trip and better ground here should help.

At the same track...

Saint Luke (4.10) boasted some smart form last year, finishing twelfth behind Cheltenian in the Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival bumper before finishing fifth behind Steps To Freedom in the Aintree version. Unfortunately Peter Bowen's gelding has failed to reproduce that this season and with the stable out of form can't be considered.

The booking of McCoy for H'ella Petite in the mares' bumper (5.15) catches the eye.

Ruby Walsh rides two for Paul Nicholls (Balding Banker 3.05 and Tonic Mellysse 3.40) before dashing off to Stratford to partner Whisky Yankee in their finale. Previous winner Kings Lad has a penalty to carry - the hint may be worth taking.

At Ascot on Sunday I'll monitor Orthodox Lad's running in the 3.30 - I'm not sure whether this one is under-rated or not. There's no denying he was run off his feet in the Adonis at Kempton but he will appreciate the quicker ground.

In the concluding hunters' chase Master Medic would be worth a second look if the tissue price of 5/1 becomes available.

Finally, for those who wish to place wagers on runners with tenuous connections to rock & heavy metal music, Rockin' Horse Racing Tips may just be the site you've been waiting for... ;)           

Calm before the storm?

Tomorrow's media focus will be on the William Hill Lincoln, a race I've tended to avoid as I've always thought it something of a lottery. However I note four favourites have obliged in the past ten years and two other winners have come from the top three in the market, so perhaps it's time for a re-think. In the same timeframe only two have carried more than nine stones to victory - Babodana (9-10) in 2004 and Penitent (9-2) last year - while six four-year-olds have collected and six have won from a single-figure draw. I've heard one whisper during the week- for Richard Fahey's Our Joe Mac - but I see stable jockey Paul Hanagan prefers Irish Heartbeat. Old habits die hard - I'm not going to play.

The two NH cards on offer have a decidedly low-key look, but this time next week everyone will be talking about the Grand National. The jumps story to grab today's headlines has been Paddy Brennan's decision to quit as Nigel Twiston-Davies' top jockey. Those who have followed Alan Lee's comments in The Times will not have been surprised by this news as the scribe has dropped several hints to this effect over the past couple of months. Today's Racing Post quotes Brennan as making a reference to 'blood being thicker than water'; Brennan will keep the ride on 2010 Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander.

Ruby Walsh rides three for Nicholls at Chepstow tomorrow including Twist Pistol in the opener but on ratings Caroline Keevil's Bally Legend is not without a chance in that race. The gelding was well-beaten in a Newbury handicap last time but back in novice company here he looks worth an each-way wager at around the 10/1 mark - Ian Popham claims a valuable three pounds. Super Directa gives weight to all in the 3.20, never easy on soft ground, and he trailled in fifth on his only start over this trip at Fakenham on New Year's Day. I wouldn't be tempted at a short price but it's difficult to make a case for several of the others.

In the 4.25 course winner R De Rien Sivola doesn't have that many miles on the clock and some smart novice hurdle form to her name but she fell in a Hereford handicap chase the last time. Returning to hurdles here she has six pounds in hand on her chase rating; priced 5/1 favourite in the tissue she makes some appeal in a difficult-looking event.

Plenty will think David Pipe's E Street Boy a handicap snip in the Bridgend Designer Outlet Handicap Hurdle but he'll be priced accordingly and  both Speedy Directa and Gainsborough's Art won last time out. Crackerjac Boy ran well here three weeks ago and looks an each-way play against the favourite at around 10/1.

Aidan Coleman has a mention for Venetia Williams' two runners on his blog - Rileyev is an obvious call in the two mile handicap chase at 5.30 but he clearly expects improvement from Emperor's Choice in what looks a better than average bumper. I'll have a small each-way bet at 12/1 or bigger.

Weekend notes

Expresso Star proved to be the proverbial Group horse in a handicap, taking Saturday's Lincoln by two and and a half lengths from Zaahid. Bookmakers had indicated earlier in the week that they feared Expresso Star. In Saturday's Racing Post Kate Miller of William Hill notes the eventual winner was the only loser in their book; the money arrived for the horse over the past fortnight.

This week's racing will be dominated by the big Aintree meeting which starts Thursday. If allowed to take his chance, Denman will be worth watching on the first day in the Totesport Bowl Steeple Chase. Trainer Paul Nicholls in yesterday's Racing Post: "I'm making Denman my pigeon catcher as no horse has impressed me more since Cheltenham." Denman was 7/1 to win the Gold Cup two and a half weeks ago; at the time of writing he's odds on with Betfair to take this event. Friday is Ladies' Day - I guess there will be plenty of opportunity to spot the rich and famous - and news is that apparently Wayne Rooney's wife Coleen is expecting their first child. Saturday is the day of the big race itself, the Grand National. The National is the one omission on Tony McCoy's impressive CV - this will be his fourteenth attempt to land the spoils. His mount, Butler's Cabin, currently trades at around 10/1.

After watching ITV's tribute to Brian Clough earlier in the week, my mind wandered back to the days of black and white television, John Rickman, the 'ITV Seven' and racing results which were displayed on screen in a grid/table type form that, I'm guessing, had to be written out manually, probably by one of the ladies you could see working behind Dickie Davies. I'm sure it was Graham Goode who used to say '...and now for some full SPs' by way of introduction. Will we ever see the like again?

What's Paul Merson doing these days? Well, he's struck himself an advertising deal with a bookmaker called Better... I have nothing else to say.

Wedding day winners?

I have to go to a family wedding in Herefordshire tomorrow; as old age creeps up on me, in my mind I've found the terms Schadenfreude and weddings become ever more closely associated... What I tend to do on occasions such as this is go through the runners the night before, looking for names of horses with wedding day connotations and then, if asked, suggest to interested guests they bet those particular beasts. You won't be surprised to learn that over a ten year period the wedding day selections have performed much better than the selections I make using my normal methods. Mrs Tips and I have quickly perused tomorrow's runners at Doncaster and Kempton - Mrs T. likes Quiet Elegance, Bond Together, Grand Passion, Hearts Of Fire and Could It Be Magic while I much prefer Don't Panic, Against The Grain, Outrageous Request and Pullyourfingerout (those are the ones I was allowed to publish).

It's the first day of the Flat tomorrow. The highlight is the Lincoln at 3.55 which, as usual, has the look of a bookmakers' benefit. A decision on the participation of ante-post favourite Expresso Star is unlikely to be made before trainer John Gosden has walked the course. Earlier in the week the Racing Post informed us the layers were being kept awake at night worrying about this Expresso Star; now it's looking even money he'll run. I'm steering well clear.

It may be the opening day of the Flat but the big name jocks are riding at the Dubai World Cup fixture. If you fancy a flutter I recommend using Nick Mordin's analysis in the Weekender as a starting point; Nick is particularly bullish about Casino Drive and correspondingly negative about the opponents he faces in the Dubai World Cup due off at 5.30.

If I can find a betting shop in the local High Street, I'll cut away from the festivities for five minutes and stick a fiver on something at Uttoxeter or Lingfield. Tomorrow's meet at Uttoxeter is billed as 'Lambrini Classic Raceday' - make of that what you will - Scutch Mill gets the nod in the seller. Paul Nicholls is usually complimetary about his charges but this evening on Teletext he's not particularly complimentary about Predateur in the 3.45; I'll look to oppose the likely favourite, although making a case for any of the others looks hard work. The market says Sandhurst but Personal Column should handle the ground, has run in better class races and will offer some value against the front two.

Lodge Lane has been chalked up favourite for the 4.00 at Lingfield and would win if at his best but he's been nowhere near recently, pulling up on the last two occasions; connections try blinkers for the first time. Charlie Mann's Fair Point had a hard enough race in the Festival four miler so comes with reservations but makes more appeal than King Jack on his first outing over the larger obstacles. Quickbeam ran an awful race at Wincanton so I'll chance Lucy Wadham's Backbord to win my hotel bar expenses in what looks a rather trappy event.

Odds 'n' ends

The Flat turf season starts this weekend with Doncaster's two-day meeting - the highlight is Saturday's William Hill Lincoln Handicap which is run over a mile. John Gosden's Expresso Star is as low as 4/1 in places; yesterday Teletext indicated the trainer thought reports of the colt's well-being had maybe got a little out of hand... Saturday is also World Cup day in Dubai with live coverage scheduled on Channel Four.

Those who prefer the jumping game will be looking forward to the Aintree three-day meeting which starts the following Thursday and culminates in the Grand National on Saturday April 4th. My Will's fifth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup has seen him come in for plenty of support for this four and half mile marathon - he's currently 10/1 favourite. Kim Muir winner Character Building looks to have a leading chance; Teletext report this evening that connections have received several offers for the horse from interested parties. If a sale is agreed, there is a stipulation that the horse will remain with current trainer John Quinn. I thought last year's winner Comply Or Die showed his first form this season when running a decent trial in the William Hill Chase at Cheltenham to finish seventh; he wouldn't want the ground too quick and is currently priced around the 20/1 mark. Tom George has booked Graham Lee for Kilbeggan Blade who is another that prefers cut (and, quite possibly, right-handed tracks).

One jockey who won't be riding in this year's National is Seamus Durack who led over the first but then took the wrong course and completely missed the second (the water jump) on Maree Hall at Stratford on Saturday. The infamous Huntingdon five (Graham Lee, Henry Oliver, Jamie Moore, Michael O'Connell and Danny Cook) all committed a similar indiscretion on Sunday but their bans will start after the big race.

Finally, a little music to finish off with, I think... The Ballad of Ruby Walsh by Irish singer Christy Moore. Enjoy.

Easter Saturday

Tomorrow at 4.00pm Doncaster hosts the Lincoln on what is traditionally considered the first day of the new Flat season. I've always considered the race a bit of a lottery and won't be getting involved. Several of the fancied ante-post runners, including Zaahid and Don't Panic, failed to make the cut and race in the Spring Mile at 2.50 instead. With the ground riding good to soft, the general opinion seems to be that high drawn runners could be at a disadvantage. Rio Riva has been touted in several quarters during the week, was second in this race last year (when run at Newcastle), is joint top rated in The Racing Post, will handle the ground and has a decent draw in stall five; that's a number of positives but, as I've indicated, I won't be playing.

The jumping cards on offer are not out of the top drawer. At Haydock Captain Oscar looks the one to beat in the concluding bumper while, a bit further north, in Carlisle's opener several of the runners are closely matched. King Mak would have won last time out at Market Rasen but for trying to demolish the last fence - he gets the vote here.

Only six go to post at 3.30 for Newton Abbot's best race of the day and question marks surround all the participants. Likely favourite Squires Lane might be considered somewhat fortunate to have won last time; here he's taking on horses that have been running in better class races without showing too much form. Both Mister Ed and The Risky Viking are preferred to the twelve year old Paxford Jack. The Peter Bowen stable hasn't had the best of seasons but is now returning from a quiet spell but I'll take a chance with Nick Williams' The Risky Viking if he's priced up around 4/1.