Musselburgh race tips: Take Golden opportunity
The five-year-old won a top juvenile maiden at York in the Godolphin blue and was successful in Class 2 company at Newmarket in his second season on the level, but was sidelined after going down narrowly when a hot-favourite on that track afterwards. He was off the track for almost two years and, in the interim, changed hands for 14,000 guineas at Doncaster sales last autumn. He joined the Lake District yard of former jockey Jimmy Moffatt and has shown promise so far over hurdles. The gelding was third at Cartmel on his hurdling bow in July and occupied the same position there the following month before finishing fourth at Carlisle where he found the stiff uphill climb too much.
He drops back a furlong in trip in the Watch Racing UK in HD Novices Hurdle (2.05) and will appreciate this much sharper track. His trainer tells me he schooled really well at the weekend and he can make his flat-race speed tell.
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Hide AdCosmic Tigress is a winner on this track and is fit from the flat and she can make that fitness tell in the opening RacingUK.com Handicap Hurdle (1.00).
The mare opened her winning account when getting home in a driving finish to a maiden hurdle on this course last November and had several runs on the flat this summer before coming back to the East Lothian circuit and winning a two-mile handicap here in August. She was then third at Carlisle and finished second when denied a clear run at Wolverhampton just over a fortnight ago. A half-sister to three winners, she is clearly tough and just like her dam, Cosmic Case, who won 18 times and was a favourite around the Scottish tracks.
Thankyou Very Much is another mare who seems to thrive on this track and she can open her account over fences in the RacingUK Novices Handicap Chase (1.30). A winner three times on the level, she is the granddaughter of Lincoln winner Hunters of Brora, who ran in the same colours. Thankyou Very Much won over timber on this track two years ago and, although she has not scored since then, she has been placed on several occasions.
Switched to the larger obstacles at Southwell last month, she was given time to appreciate the fences and was closing steadily on the leaders when making a mistake and being hampered at the penultimate obstacle.
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Hide AdThe six-year-old still finished third, will have learnt a lot from that experience and will appreciate decent ground underfoot.
Rocklim is another with winning form on this track, who can return to put up a good show in the Racing UK on Sky 432 Handicap Hurdle (3.40).
Trainer James Ewart has a good record here and Rocklim added to it when stepped up to three miles and winning in game style on this track in February.
The gelding went up 8lbs for that effort and unseated his rider at Doncaster afterwards before finishing fourth when favourite at Kelso at the end of March.
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Hide AdThe handicapper has dropped him only one pound for his return to action, but he is reported to have done well during the summer break and is worth a small wager.
Selections: 1.00 Cosmic Tigress; 1.30 Thankyou Very Much; 2.05 Golden Town; 3.10 Rocklim.