MUSSELBURGH stage a two-day meeting early next week when the "home team" can make sure some of the prizes stay north of the Border.
Linda Perratt has done well since quitting her Ayr stables to take over the yard in Lanarkshire formerly run by Ian Semple and she can add another winner to her tally with Royal Amnesty on Monday.
The gelding has already scored three times for he
r since she took the reins at Brunstane Racing Stables and the five-year-old can collect again in the Scottish Racing Your Better Bet (3.40pm).
Two of those recent successes have come on the all-weather track at Wolverhampton, but he returned to turf to score in great style at Hamilton ten days ago. That was actually his first ever success on grass – the other seven of his career wins having come on an artificial surface.
It was also over nine furlongs and the five-year-old steps up an extra three furlongs on the East Lothian track, but he has been placed in the past over the longer trip.
Jim Goldie has a good record on the seaside circuit with 25 winners there over the past five seasons and he saddled Stellite to score at the last fixture here. The gelding tackles the same seven-furlong trip in the North Handicap (4.40pm). That was his first outing since November and he came with a well timed run to lead inside the final furlong and land some decent bets. There's every chance he can stage a repeat performance.
P J Brennan won the Scottish National not much more than a year ago and has since carved out a career on the flat. He is one of the most experienced riders in the final event – the Turf TV Apprentice Handicap (5.10pm) – and can steer Silver Seeker to victory. The eight-year-old has not run on the level for more than 960 days, but he has been nursed back to peak fitness by Pauline Robson and was successful over hurdles at Catterick in March in what was his first race for almost a year.
The grey has since run well when fourth over timber at Market Rasen. He will relish this two miles and with Brennan's strength in the saddle, he looks worth a bet, especially as he has a win over hurdles on this track to his credit.
Marning Star has yet to win a race, but has been placed on four of his eight appearances to date and I am confident he can get off the mark in the opening Turf TV Median Auction Maiden Stakes (2.10pm).
The gelding was runner-up over a mile on his reappearance at Thirsk in April and did well when third at Catterick over a shorter trip. He is back up to a mile this time and trainer Dandy Nicholls has his team in good shape.
Joe Rowntree's Musselburgh selections: 2.10 Marning Star; 3.40 Royal Amnesty; 4.40 Stellite; 5.10 Silver Seeker.
The full article contains 510 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
