Musselburgh racing tips: Maybe Today can shine on Monday

Maybe Today has been ultra-consistent throughout her career to date and can add another victory to her CV at Musselburgh on Monday afternoon.

The filly can make the long haul from Simon Crisford’s Newmarket yard pay off in the Racing Welfare Goliath Cup (3.35) on the East Lothian track.

Crisford has been extremely patient with this well-bred four-year-old, who cost ¤100,000 as a yearling, but was backward and never ran as a juvenile.

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In fact, she did not see a racecourse until August of last year when she made a successful debut at Windsor. That was over a mile and a quarter and three weeks later she stepped up an extra half-mile, only to go down in a photo finish at Chelmsford.

She was runner-up three of her next four races and found the drop back to ten furlongs much too sharp when unplaced on the all-weather at Lingfield in January.

A two-month break followed and the short holiday obviously did her well as she reappeared to win over a mile and a half at Lingfield in March, going on around the home turn and keeping on strongly.

She switched back to turf at Epsom’s spring meeting last month and finished a close third, despite looking ill at ease on that switchback track. She led briefly over a furlong out and the longer trip here will be in her favour.

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She is closely-related to a dual winner in Germany, while her dam was a Group One winner in Italy, so she seems to possess a touch of class and gets a confident vote, as she has gone up only 7lbs in the ratings from her original mark of 82, despite such a solid, consistent record.

Christmas Night ran really well when third recently at Thirsk and can defy top weight in the Bebodykind Handicap (4.10) over seven furlongs.

The gelding is now back to a mark of 60 off which he was successful at Beverley almost exactly a year ago – and he also won last last year at Wolverhampton.

He has been remarkably consistent for in 20 starts in handicaps, his rating has varied only by 5lbs. Two spins on the all-weather blew away the winter cobwebs and he looked sure to score when leading approaching the final furlong at Thirsk, only to be collared in the last 100 yds.

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He pays his first visit to Musselburgh, but this sharp track should his style of prominent racing and, although he is set to concede weight all round, useful apprentice Ben Robinson will claim a handy 3lbs allowance.

Right Action is another who can defy top weight in the Alzeimer Scotland Handicap (3.05).

Trainer Richard Fahey has his team in great shape and Right Action made a successful reappearance at Doncaster recently, winning in great style to make it six wins from 33 career starts.

The gelding was winning that Doncaster event for the second consecutive year and it’s worth noting that he followed up at Catterick. That latest success was off a mark of 85 and he actually runs off 1lb lower here in spite of having scored at Doncaster on his return to action.

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Elite Icon scored at the last meeting here and can follow up in the finale – the Start a Conversation on Mental Health Handicap (5.45) – when a 4lbs rise in the ratings may not be enough to stop him.

The gelding is far from reliable – his record of two wins from 22 starts does not scream confidence – but he had run well when third on his previous start on this track in March and trainer Jim Goldie has a good record at Musselburgh.

Selections: 3.05 Right Action; 3.35 Maybe Today; 4.10 Christmas Night; 5.45 Elite Icon.