Monday doesn't quite scale the heights of the previous day but you can't have a Group 1 card every day of the week, so Pontefract, Warwick and Windsor it is. Arguably the most interesting race of the day is Pontefract's conditions event over two miles and a furlong. Likely participants include Ajaan, winner of the race last year, the Roger Varian-trained Pekan Star, who is stepping markedly up in trip, and Fire Fighter, who will be seeking a hat-trick of wins.

Flat action on Tuesday at Catterick and Leicester, and on all-weather at Southwell. Catterick host what could develop into a competitive nursery over seven furlongs, whilst Leicester stage an interesting conditions event for two year-olds and a pair of maidens that could consist of large fields, as is the trend at this time of year. We also have National Hunt action over in Ireland, once again courtesy of Tipperary.

The busiest day of the week so far on Wednesday, with racing on the flat at Nottingham and in Ireland at Navan, National Hunt racing at Ludlow and Towcester, before we head to Kempton for an evening of floodlit racing. Memorabilia, a fair performer on the flat and second on his hurdling debut on Friday, is entered again at Ludlow on Wednesday and could build on that hurdling experience. Nottingham's card features three maidens out of six races, with a number of powerful stables holding entries.

Just the two flat meetings on Thursday, at Ayr in the afternoon and Wolverhampton in the evening. Jumps racing is more the order of the day, with action at Exeter, Worcester and over in Ireland at Tramore. Interestingly, trainer Charlie Longsdon is 2-2 with his National Hunt flat runners at Worcester in the 2011-12 season, and holds three entries in their final event on Thursday.

Friday takes us to York, Carlisle and Newton Abbot in the afternoon, with the former staging the only flat card. York's feature event on a seven race card is a class 2 handicap over a mile, whilst Newton Abbot host a valuable handicap hurdle over two miles and six furlongs. We again sample the delights of Wolverhampton in the evening, for a seven race card at the same time as Dundalk host a card headed by a very valuable listed event over seven furlongs.

Saturday brings one of the big end-of-season handicaps at Newmarket, this one for stayers, the Cesarewitch. Won last year by Aaim to Prosper, who will carry top-weight if taking part again, this particularly competitive event over two and a quarter miles is a real test of stamina. Other entries of note include the Roger Charlton-trained Keys, an impressive winner on two occasions this season, Sir Mark Prescott's Tuscan Gold, antepost favourite at 10.0, and Nicky Henderson's Veiled, who took the Ascot Stakes on her most recent outing.

It's also 'Future Champions' day on Newmarket's revamped Cesarewitch card, and the two big juvenile races to take note of are the Group 1 Middle Park and the Dewhurst, over six and seven furlongs respectively. A two year-old can dramatically enhance his claims to next year's classics in either of these races, so horses like Ektihaam, Camelot and Daddy Long Legs will be looking for success here.

Elsewhere on Saturday, York stages a solid looking card featuring the listed Rockingham Stakes over six furlongs, whilst Chepstow and Hexham hold National Hunt cards, as does Fairyhouse in Ireland. We visit Wolverhampton for the third evening in a row for another seven race card.

Comments

Comment here...

*      *