Musselburgh racing tips: Victory carved in Stoneham

Stoneham was successful twice on the level at Musselburgh during the summer and can translate that winning form to hurdles on the East Lothian track tomorrow.

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Ian Jardine’s mare has proven ability over timber too, having won at Worcester last year when trained by Mick Channon before joining Jardine last autumn and she provided her new trainer with an immediate return when scoring over hurdles at Sedgefield on her first outing for him last October.

And she was later a runner-up at Kelso and twice at Perth in the spring, so is able to switch between the two codes with aplomb.

The five-year-old has won seven of her 45 races and been placed 17 times, so is ultra-consistent and was certainly a good buy.

She overcame trouble in running to win over two miles on the level here in June and followed up over the same trip in an amateur riders event here a few days later.

Jardine has been in great form since moving his string from Bonchester Bridge to Lennie Lungo’s former yard at Carrutherstown and Stoneham can win the Leuchie House Handicap Hurdle (1.50).

King Julien has been runner-up in both his races to date over timber and can go one better in the opening Racing UK in Glorious HD Juvenile Hurdle (12.45).

John Ryan’s three-year-old was third on the level on this course in September and was second on his hurdles bow at Perth later that month.

He had just taken command when an error at the final flight cost him dear at Huntingon and he could never recover from a slow start when well beaten on a return to the flat at Yarmouth last month.

But I expect the gelding to put his hurdling experience to good use and open his winning account tomorrow.

Trainer Pauline Robson made double entries for Castletown and has decided to run him in the Racing UK Handicap Chase (3.30) over two-and-a-half miles rather than over a much-longer trip.

The grey has yet to win, but was placed four times in France before joining current connections and was third in a novice hurdle at Cartmel in July when he led until the final flight.

He was sent off favourite at Perth ten days later, but could finish only fifth and was well beaten at Cartmel last month.

That was a novice chase when he handled the fences well enough but found the pace much too quick over that sharp track and the two-mile trip.

Jonny Delta has four wins on the flat to his credit – two of them on this track – and also has a victory over hurdles at Ayr on his CV.

Jim Goldie’s nine-year-old was runner-up over hurdles on this track in February and looks on a decent mark in the Border Safeguards Handicap Hurdle (2.55).

Selections: 12.45 King Julien; 1.50 Stoneham; 2.55 Jonny Delta; 3.30 Castletown.