The vast majority of people will have their eyes firmly glued to Leopardstown on Saturday. That’s no surprise, as day one of the Dublin Racing Festival provides us with four Grade 1 races, including the Irish Champion Hurdle.
Don’t disregard Musselburgh from your Saturday viewing, however! The venue hosts a competitive card which is headlined by the Edinburgh National. We’ll have horse racing tips for all the key action, but if you’re a trends fan, then stay tuned!
Course form is essential at all venues and Musselburgh is no different. You can find four course winners below who will thrive back at Musselburgh on Saturday!
A dual course winner, he won the Scottish County Hurdle back in 2018 off a mark of 137. He races off just two pounds higher today and arrives in decent form for Donald McCain, who himself is among the winners.
He scored at Chepstow back in October, with two subsequent efforts below that standard. His latest second in a “jumpers’ bumpers” proved he was in good heart, however, and a return to Musselburgh can only be a positive.
He goes on softer ground and his current rating will be no barrier to success, especially with Theo Gillard claiming a crucial seven pounds.
Winning on a pair of occasions at Musselburgh, the latter of those successes came over course and distance back in November. That was his first start since wind surgery and Rebecca Menzies’ charge was far from disgraced in a Class 2 event last time back over course and distance.
He’s now a pound lower in the handicap and dropping into Class 3 company can only be a positive. The vast majority of his runs have come with “Good” in the description, but he has run well on soft ground in the past.
Gaining the services of Brian Hughes, if bouncing back to form at this lower level, his each-way price will be very generous.
With all three of his hurdling runs coming at Musselburgh, this 76-rated flat racer should be clued up on the venue by now. He made a winning debut in this sphere back in November prior to a pair of difficult tasks since.
The first came when second to Fiveandtwenty, who contests Listed company earlier on the card. His most recent third in a Class 3 handicap was disappointing, but it was a race where few got involved. It’s worth forgiving that effort and he drops in grade for today’s assignment.
It’s still very early days for him and he’s also two pounds lower in the handicap. If further improvement is forthcoming, then he has a leading role to play.
Hugely progressive as a staying chaser last term, he bids to go back to back in the Edinburgh National. He won this race twelve months ago off a two-pound lower rating, beaten narrowly in the Kim Muir at the Festival subsequently off a three-pound higher mark than today.
He’s evidently well-treated, but that is due to a disappointing campaign thus far. Pulling up on all three of his 2020/21 runs, he showed little in the Scottish Borders National last time. On that basis, you’d need some faith to be backing him today.
That being said, a return to this venue could spark a revival, especially off such a dangerous rating. This year’s renewal is no tougher than last time around and he’s one to take very seriously at a tempting price.
If you back any of our selections you can watch them live on the free Racing Post app or racingpost.com. Simply log in to one of your bookmaker accounts and click ‘Watch live’ on the racecards.