FORMER England football manager Sir Bobby Robson should hit the target at Musselburgh tomorrow when El Bobby can win the opening race on the East Lothian track.
The youngster runs in the colours of Robson and his wife Elsie and has shown promise in both his races so far, especially when second behind an impressive winner in a big field at Redcar last week.
The chestnut is trained at Middleham by John Weym
es and was a bargain buy as a yearling for just 2800 guineas, but has already given Robson much fun, and victory in the EBF Median Auction Maiden Stakes (2.10) tomorrow would more than recoup his purchase price.
The gelding clearly did not appreciate the soft ground and was eventually well beaten on his debut at Redcar, but obviously learnt from the experience and showed he was much more at home on a decent surface with his effort last week when he was always prominent.
Underfoot conditions should suit again tomorrow and his trainer has a decent record on this track where his runners over the past five seasons show a healthy profit. I expect El Bobby to add to that.
Willie Supple plies his trade in his home country nowadays, but makes the trip from Ireland for several mounts for Lancashire trainer Eric Alston and they can take the St James's Shopping Handicap (2.40) with Novellen Lad.
The colt is half-brother to five winners, including Ellens Academy and Ellens Lad – both multiple scorers for the stable, so it's no surprise he cost 50,000 gns and he has hinted at ability in three races so far.
The best of those efforts came on his latest appearance when he finished fourth in a big field over a mile at Thirsk. He drops back a furlong tomorrow, but had run with credit over that trip at Wolverhampton in April and can defy top weight on his handicap debut.
Rio Sands may not have cut much ice as a juvenile, but he has been in fair form this term and was sixth on his reappearance at Nottingham before finishing runner-up at Thirsk and Haydock. He looked set to score on the latter track when taking the lead inside the final quarter of a mile, but had no answer to the finishing burst of Marvellous Value.
However, that winner gave the form a boost when a close third in a competitive event at the big York meeting last week and he is on target for the £100,000 three-yrear-old sprint on Knavesmire next month, so Rio Sands looks worth a bet in the Turf TV Maiden Stakes (3.10).
Kasumi can make the long trek from Berkshire pay off by defying top weight in the Thoroughbred Breeders' Gold Day Fillies Handicap (3.40). The five-year-old had her first race since October when runner-up in a valuable heritage handicap at Ascot recently and will be fitter now.
Her trainer, Hughie Morrison is a rare visitor to the seaside track, but has saddled one winner from just seven runners here in the past five and would not be sending the mare on the long haul across the Border if she did not have an outstanding chance.
Musselburgh selections: 2.10 El Bobby; 2.40 Novellen Lad; 3.10 Rio Sands; 3.40 Kasumi.
The full article contains 566 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
