Rachel Candelora's Wednesday tips: Eureka! Archemides looks the answer at Bath

Well it is the final week of the World Cup and its been an enjoyable one so far. As an American living in Britain it has been fun to cheer on England throughout the tournament, although I have to confess that some time ago I bet France to win the whole thing.

One thing that I am struggling with, though, is that horse racing seems unpeturbed that England are playing in the semi-finals on Wednesday as both Bath and Kempton are racing at their regularly scheduled time, as opposed to moving to a twilight meeting to be finished before kickoff.

I understand there are scheduling issues and no terrestrial TV rights on the table but I do not see bookmakers needing a “live” race on every few minutes when one of the greatest moments in 50 years is taking place for England on the screen.

In America, on Super Bowl Sunday, horse racing runs early and finishes before kick off, and not just a few minutes before, but enough time that people can get home, grooms can finish cooling out horses, workers can close the track down – even if that means that out in California they start racing at 10:00am.

It appears now that any lads or lasses who are looking after horses on Wednesday night will not be able to watch the game. I suppose it is the semi-finals, and measures have been taken by Southwell and Stratford to finish at 3.25 and 3.35 respectively on Sunday, should England progress, but those racing at Perth and presumably Sligo and Killarney will not have the pleasure. Surely there is an irony here just a few days after Stable Staff Appreciation Week.

3:00 Lingfield – Trouble And Strife at 5-6 with Betfair:

Most trainers are content to plan one victory at a time for their horses but as we know that is not how Sir Mark Prescott operates and I think that he will be disappointed if Trouble And Strife, his three-year-old daughter of Declaration Of War, has not notched up at least two wins by this time next week.

The form of her recent second over course and distance looks solid and there does not appear to be a rival as progressive as the horse who beat her that day (the now 78 rated Life On Earth) in this field.

This is the time of year that lightly raced three-year-olds are very successful against exposed older horses in this kind of grade and, with his eye on following up with a penalty, Sir Mark has this filly entered again at Hamilton on Saturday and Wolverhampton on Monday.

4.35 Lingfield – Quiet Waters at 7-4 with Bet365:

Quiet Waters is the only previous winner to line up in this Novice Median Auction Stakes and given the manner of her debut victory at Nottingham there does not appear to be any reason why she can not follow up.

Supporting previous winners this season in Novice races has proved a lucrative angle.

The “Golden Highway” on the turf straight course at Lingfield has been very much in evidence again this summer and hopefully Quiet Waters can bag the favoured stands side rail breaking from stall four in the eight-strong field.

Given the fact that she was able to break alertly enough and stalk the pace on debut suggests Eddie Greatrex should be able to get her rolling quickly enough from the gate to grab the rail this time.

6:40 Bath – Archimedes at 3-1 with Betfair and Ladbrokes:

Given that Britain is in the grip of one of its longest dry periods for several summers it is hardly surprising that the ground at Bath (the only track in this country which does not have a watering system) is lightning quick.

Most horses will not let themselves down on ground as firm as they will encounter there, but if you can find a horse with an iron constitution to run on this kind of surface it can pay dividends.

Eureka! Archimedes is just such a horse, and his good record of three wins from six starts at Bath is trumped by his record at Bath on officially firm ground – he is a perfect two out of two.

He has to shoulder a 6lb penalty for his win over slightly further last week but that does not worry me and ratings-wise he may be able to beat up far inferior opposition as this is a 0-60 but with his penalty he is effectively running off 65.

7:25 Kempton – Firelight at a generally available 11-8:

This daughter of champion sprinter Oasis Dream was quite inexperienced on debut over 5f at Sandown, changing her legs several times in the first few furlongs, before staying on really well under a hands and heels ride.

Watch Firelight finish fourth at Sandown in a useful Novice.

The winner, Oberyn Martell, and runner-up, Thriving, have come out to win since.

Firelight will definitely improve for that run, is facing fillies only for the first time, and the extra furlong in trip will suit as her dam won the Listed Pontefract Castle Stakes over 12 furlongs.

Also trainer Andrew Balding won a novice race here at Kempton last week with Look Around, who come into the race with a similar profile to Firelight.