MUSSELBURGH – Friday May 3rd
Going – Good To Soft
Weather – light rain
2.00 5f Brewin Dolphin 3yo Handicap (Class 6)
ANTONI GRAMSCI, a big strong gelding who looked rather
green, hit the front over a furlong out and pulled away from SOMEONE’S DARLING.
The runner-up is well exposed, not progressing as a two-year-old after a fair
start, but there looks to be more to come from the winner in a slightly better
race.
ICHIMOKU stayed on for third, a not dissimilar effort to his
Catterick seasonal debut. This one has prospects over a stiff five furlongs or perhaps
stepped up in trip.
CRACKING CHOICE broke fast and led from a wide draw but was
well outpaced in the final two furlongs. He has been thereabouts on most runs
but regularly finds one or two too good.
2.30 5f Baillie Gifford EBF 2yo Maiden Stakes (Class 5)
WITHERNSEA built on a fair debut at Ripon to take this
contest. He was bustled to go about his business over a furlong out and
gradually asserted.
Debutant TANSEEB was taken off his feet early on, but
responded well to pressure from halfway and was a clear second. He should
improve for the experience.
MUSPELHEIM was second in front of Withernsea last time, but
was outpaced from the start here. He made up significant ground to two
furlongs, but the effort probably used up his reserves and he faded again. If
breaking on level terms he should prove a bit better than this form.
3.00 1m 1f Weatherby’s Bank Handicap (Class 4)
A slog in the softening ground and NEXT EDITION outstayed
the opposition from two out, a not unusual occurrence when the ground softens
at Musselburgh. He’ll go up a few pounds
for this and the margin may prove flattering.
FRONTIER FIGHTER ran a sound enough race under a penalty for
a Pontefract win, sticking to his task but held from the furlong pole. Given that
he’s won at Pontefract and Southwell of late then I would imagine he will
improve again over a stiffer track.
NIMIETY, off the track for 587 days, and annual debutant ACT
YOUR SHOE SIZE set the pace until three out but had insufficient in the tank
from then on. Both should come on for
the outing and look reasonably rated on balance of form.
3.30 1m 1f Weatherby’s Private Banking 3yo Handicap (Class
3)
This contest yielded a few winners from last year’s renewal.
ROMANTIC SETTINGS challenged the pacemaker three out and
gradually got on top inside the final furlong, the pair well clear of the
remainder. This filly can progress to better things and she will stay further.
KING OF THE DANES set the pace and found more when asked in
the straight. He couldn’t hold an improved winner, but he stuck to his task
very well and won’t always meet one as good as the winner. This one is lightly raced and even with a
rise in the weights Mark Johnston should have room to manoeuvre.
The remainder ended in a heap but there are races to be won
with most, LADY ARTISTE running an encouraging third on only her second
racetrack appearance.
MARHABA MALAYEEN looked less than ken in the first half of
the race. In touch by half way he kept on under pressure but seems quirky.
4.00 7f Core (Oil and Gas) Ltd Handicap (Class 3)
GANDALAK upped in trip, raced keenly but none of the other four
got near him and he won comfortably. The others were exposed but you could ask
no more of one who has progressed since showing promise over five furlongs on
Musselburgh’s opening day in March. He is likely to go up by 7 or 8 pounds on
top of the 6lb penalty , but he does seem to have the speed to take on better
opponents.
DISCRESSION kept on to ho0ld second place from OUR BOY JACK,
though both seem weighted to their form. Twice a winner over seven furlongs at
Newcastle, I wonder whether that stiff seven may be ideal.
4.30 1m 6f Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers Handicap (Class
5)
Another race favouring those racing near the front, not an
unusual event at Musselburgh so far this season. Brasingaman Eric took the
field along at a decent clip and he pulled clear with KINGARRICK from two
furlongs out. Kingarrick looked likely to be a clear winner but BRASINGAMAN
ERIC battled back most determinedly and was gaining again at the line. He’s not
been particularly heavily races for a six-year-old, and this evidence suggests
he’s better than the 57 he ran off here.
Recovering his form after having 2012 off the track, he’s worth noting
for a staying event in this sort of class.
KINGARRICK was recording a first win since his two-year-old
days. This is the first time he’s tried this trip and given that he was not
stopping, despite being hauled back by the second, staying could prove to be
his forte now.
Last year’s winner LA BACOUETTEUSE
had no chance when well in rear before the home turn. He stayed on relentlessly
from that point and took third close home. He’s 5 from 22 on the flat and, if
the race falls his way, he can win in this class before long.
5.05 7f Oak Handicap (Division 1)
(Class 6)
Part one of the ‘whose turn is it
today?’ handicap!
CARA’s REQUEST got an easy lead,
Tom Eaves kicked on early in the straight and nothing got near him from that
point. She ran off a very generous mark of 52 here, given that her last win was
off 80 back in 2010. Everything went her way here, but it wouldn’t be a
surprise to see a follow up.
TONY HOLLIS kept on honestly
enough up the straight if making no impression. He’s a career 1 from 22 which
tells a story.
5.35 7f Oak Handicap(Division 21)
(Class 6)
DHHAMAAN would have been
considered for this as a front-runner, but he folded over two furlongs out.
JEBEL TARA raced in touch with the leaders and stuck on from two out. He doesn’t
win very often and couldn’t be backed with confidence to follow up. JUST THE
TONIC and GONINODAETHAT who followed the winner are much of a muchness and don’t
win any more than in their turn.
JUPITER FIDIUS made up ground
from the rear late on, but that’s not untypical and he wins no more often than the
front three.
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