Racing tips: Work of Art at Musselburgh

That defeat is the only blot on his recent CV and the drop back in distance to one-and-three-quarter miles in the Caledonian Cup (5.15) can see him back in the winners enclosure. The three-year-old was placed in three of his first six races before opening his winning account over a mile and a half at Catterick in July and he followed up over an extra quarter of a mile at Sandown Park three weeks later.

Those two wins saw him climb the ratings and he stepped up in both class and trip in the valuable Archerfield Stakes on this track a month ago. Allowed to make the running at a steady pace, he was soon under pressure inside the final quarter of a mile. Headed approaching the final furlong, he hung left as he tired and was eventually beaten half-a-dozen lengths into third spot.

Trainer Michael Bell wisely dropped him back in trip and he subsequently scored in good style on the all-weather at Chelmsford, thus earning a return back north of the Border with sound prospects of scoring again.

Lucky Violet has notched two of her three career wins on this track and can score here again for Scottish trainer Linda Perratt. The mare was trained by Ian Jardine when winning over seven furlongs here just over two years ago, but joined Miss Perratt in January and was placed several times before coming good for her new connections at Ayr at the end of July. That was over a mile and she was runner-up back over that course and distance and then again over a shorter trip at Ayr before winning back up to a mile here a fortnight ago and the runner-up then has won since to boost the form. The six-year-old is only a couple of pounds higher in the ratings, but because she steps up to Class 4 company, she is just out of the weights in the EBF Stallions Breeding Winners Fillies Premier Handicap (4.05). However, Miss Perratt has booked smart apprentice Jamie Gormley whose 3lbs allowance will help manipulate things in her favour.

The seaside venue stages a teatime fixture and Southern raiders Blame Roberta and Implicit are likely to fight out the finish of the opening EBF Fillies Conditions Stakens (2.55) with preference for the former.

Implicit was third on her debut and then runner-up three times before rattling up a hat-trick at Ripon, Wolverhampton and Chelmsford. She then stepped up into Listed company at Newbury, but flopped badly and trailed in a well beaten last of the 14 runners.

Blame Roberta was 25 lengths ahead of her in fifth place – even though she was a 40-1 shot – and Robert Cowell’s filly had earlier been beaten just over three lengths in the valuable Super Sprint on that same track. Since then, she has opened her account at Leicester and she can provide jockey Joe Fanning with another Musselburgh winner.

Fanning partnered three winners at the last meeting here and can also take the concluding Watch More with Racing UK Extra Handicap (6.55) on board Miss DD.

The filly won as a juvenile at Pontefract last year when trained by Tom Dascombe and was bought for 10,000 guineas at the autumn sales by Ian Jardine. She has yet to score for her new connections, but has been placed seven times.

She has been runner-up on her last three starts at Haydock, Catterick and on this track and has been sent off favourite on each occasion. There seems little wrong with her attitude, though, and she can go one better tomorrow.

Selections: 2.55 Blame Roberta; 4.05 Lucky Violet; 5.15 Artarmon; 6.55 Miss DD.