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18:35 Dundalk Our first pick comes from Ireland as we take in a small runner race over six furlongs. Despite the small field a case can be made for most here. Eight year old Bubbly Bellini is clearly the classiest horse in the race based on its previous outings but now as it’s getting on in year, being burdened with top weight and making its seasonal reappearance my go against it. Almadaa is another course and distance winner who is due a win and may be primed and ready for tonights race after some hit and miss attempts this year but I fear it’s going to find one to good yet again. The one I feel will be too good is Have A Great Day. A very impressive training performance saw the horse return after over a year off the track to come back with a good course and distance win and must have bags of improvement still left for this lightly raced gelding. Have A Great Day (WIN)
19:05 Dundalk The second pick and final selection from Dundalk looks to be in a two horse race. Unless either of the David Marnane trained runners can run above expectations I must look solely at the two top weights. Charlie Bear is a course and distance winner who did well when winning on it’s seasonal reappearance in what has turned out to be a very hot maiden with second placed horse placing again and the fourth placed horse winning next time out. The form of that race reads well but that was a fourteen runner race and I think this seven runner contest may not guarantee a strong pace and maybe more of a tactial affair that could not suit the Leigh Roche mount. I am therefore siding with Mark Halford’s Five Claw. The horse won last time out and should improve for the change of trip. It’s win came in a similarly sized field and beat an odds on O’Brien horse last time that has gone on to win since. Experienced jockey Shane Foley takes the ride and if the three year old can improve agin should be able to topple the current favourite. Five Claw (WIN)
19:15 Wolverhampton We end tonights action in the UK as we head over to Wolverhampton for a five runner race. As with all three of my selections tonight they’re not the biggest fields but with this final race it seems the most open. The biggest danger to my selection is actually a horse that hasn’t won last time out. Coming from the Alan Swinbank stable with top jockey Joe Fanning in the saddle and with course and distance winning form I fea Entihaa has been massively overlooked. The seven year old would be my idea of the winner if it wasn’t for my selection taking up its entry. That entrant hails from the world renowned Godolphin operation. With most of Godolphins operation focussing on Meydan and the build up to their carnival it could easily be forgotten that they have an active operation over here and Charlie Appleby’s had his string flying this winter. Thw four year old hasn’t won at Wolverhampton but as the youngest runner in the field may have more room for improvement. Favourite John Reel has to be mentioned but if this race is run relitively tactically I don’t think it could rack up its fourth win in a row. Gold Trail (WIN)
by Rory Paddock