The Flat season on turf is, as ever, taking time to ease itself in but there can be few complaints about the feature event at Musselburghon Saturday, which brings some excellent staying handicappers together to race for £60,000.
There is more than a nod to the jumps in the 14-strong field as Harry Fry, more familiar as a leading National Hunt handler, saddles a top contender in American Gigolo. Other runners arrive fit from the winter code but the one that seems to have sneaked in under the radar is last year’s winner, Carbon Dating.
As he did in 2017, Carbon Dating spent the winter running well without winning for Satish Seemar in Dubai. Twelve months ago he returned from the sunshine to run out a comfortable winner from a mark of 101. This time around he races off 100 and his overnight price of around 16-1 appears generous.
Haydock 2.05 Crievehill 2.40 Wolfcatcher
3.15 Shanroe In Milan (nb) 3.50 All My Love
4.25 Classic Ben 5.00 Tara Mist 5.35 Muckle Roe
Musselburgh 1.50 Masham Star 2.25 Caspian Prince 3.00 Indomeneo 3.35 Carbon Dating (nap) 4.10 I Am A Dreamer 4.45 Tommy G 5.20 Queen’s Sargent
Carlisle 1.40 Donna’s Delight 2.10 Secrete Stream 2.50 Pixiepot 3.25 Bright Prospect 4.00 General Mahler 4.35 Lowanbehold 5.10 Derriana Spirit
Kempton 2.00 Tigre Du Terre 2.35 Fabricate
3.10 Qaysar 3.45 Inn The Bull 4.20 Sputnik Platinum 4.55 Sparkalot 5.30 Excellent George
Chelmsford 5.45 No Approval 6.15 Communique 6.45 Leoro 7.15 Samovar 7.45 George Of Hearts
8.15 Image 8.45 Alfonso Manana
Musselburgh 1.50 Masham Star was one of the busiest horses in training last year with 20 starts in all but he held his form well and looked as good as ever on his return earlier this month. He gives weight away all round here but goes well with some cut in the ground and should be up to the task.
Haydock Park 2.05 Nigel Twiston-Davies took the first two editions of this race with Ballybolley and should complete the hat-trick with Crievehill.
Musselburgh 2.25 Alpha Delphini ended last season as a sprinter on the up and is the one to beat if he is straight enough. At the likely odds, though, it could be worth chancing Caspian Prince on his debut for Mick Appleby. He was well below his best when sent to race in Doha last month but would certainly give the favourite a race on his earlier form.
Haydock Park 2.40 Several runners have a chance on their best form, while Applesandpierres will attract support after peppering the target in recent outings. The value, though, may lie with Wolfcatcher, who bounced back from a poor run on Boxing Day to finish a close third at Kempton last time.
Musselburgh 3.00 Indomeneo’s fitness needs to be taken on trust but he finished a busy juvenile campaign on a roll with two wins in a style that suggested he could well make further progress. Ayutthaya looks the obvious danger from an opening mark that may well prove lenient.
Haydock Park 3.15 A fiercely competitive handicap chase in which there is a case to be made for most of the field. Shanroe In Milan is one of the least exposed runners over fences, though, and improved for a step up to three miles last time. He is up 7lb for a half-length win but another furlong here should eke out a little more improvement on only his fourth chase start.
