7.10pm Musselburgh Tips & Betting Preview 04/05/2017

This is an interesting handicap over 1m, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: This is an open handicap and VIZIER gets the vote to come out on top. He broke a blood vessel when well-beaten on his final start of last season and a mark of 77 still looks workable now down in grade for a stable that do well here. Ellal has been badly out of form of late but he could bounce back to winning ways at any time as could Marbooh who runs here instead of a race at Pontefract yesterday.

1 MARBOOH – Has struggled in handicap company since breaking his maiden tag back in June of last year. He’s fallen from a mark of 80 to 77 which he races off today but he’s beaten off it twice already, including a 10 1/2 length defeat on his final start of last year. He will need to be race fit to win this off a break and he has been sent here over an engagement he had yesterday. He’s worth a second look in the betting today.

2 VIZIER – Second runner in this for David O’Meara and he won a Class 5 maiden at Hamilton last September. He reportedly broke a blood vessel on his only subsequent start which came in a competitive Class 4 handicap off a mark of 77. He’s been left on the same mark today having not shown his true running last time out and he returns to action off a 167-day break today. Not discounted off what could be a fair mark.

3 BERNIE’S BOY – One victory from 14 career starts which came in a weak maiden back in March of last year. He’s slipped 4lbs in the weights from his highest rating but he was beaten in a 15-runner handicap at Redcar last month and he hasn’t looked particularly well-treated. He should strip fitter here on just his second start for Roger Fell who has sent out one winner from one runner here although he doesn’t make much appeal today.

4 ZESHOV – Capable sort on his day and he notched up a double in September of last year off marks of 65 and 70. He wasn’t beaten far off today’s mark of 73 in a more competitive handicap than this at Pontefract last month and with the benefit of that run, he could be dangerous here. He’s a C&D winner and the stable have a 14% strike rate at Musselburgh although it is slightly concerning they’ve failed to send out a winner in the past fortnight from 8 runners. Should be prominent in the betting here.

5 RALPHY BOY – Last victory came off a pound lower than this mark although he did finish second off a mark of 74 back in August of last year. He’s been well-beaten in his last three starts including at Newcastle last month and he will need to take a big stride forward to win here following that run. This is a drop in grade but he’s thoroughly exposed and others look to have slightly more in hand today.

6 ELLAAL – Capable sort on his day and he won a one mile contest at Newmarket last August off a 3lb higher mark. He’s been well-below par since with heavy defeats on every occasion including just 12 days ago. He’s a C&D winner and he’s lingering on a winning mark so it’s not inconceivable that he bounces back to form here although his form does need big improvement. The yard have been in top form of late (5 winners from their last 29 runners).

7 CRAZY TORNADO – Was well-supported in a competitive handicap at Haydock 5 days ago having been sent off the 11/2 favourite but he couldn’t threaten the winner, finishing sixth of fourteen. This is an easier task off the same mark and the quick turnaround suggests connections believe he’s on a winning mark with Rowan Scott claiming 5lbs today. He’s back onto his last winning mark and he has an excellent chance today.

8 DARK CRYSTAL – 2lbs lower than her last winning mark which came over 7 furlongs last summer at Ayr. She’s won at Musselburgh previously and she’s slipped down from a mark of 71 to today’s rating of 64 which makes her more appealing than when seen towards the end of last season. Graham Lee is aboard for the first time (1 win from his last 35 rides) and the stable have a poor 5% strike rate at Musselburgh. Not discounted on what could be a nice mark.