Saturday 8th April 2023
Author: Jordan Yates (EvRacing_)
Welcome aboard to this week’s Saturday blog where I’ve got several fancies to share with you all from Musselburgh and Cork.
My first punt comes in the 1.50 at Musselburgh which is the Royal Mile Handicap which is a Class 3 contest for three-year-olds. I’m taking a chance on Dumfries here at 13/2 for Hayley Turner and Marcus Tregoning, who’s a colt by Cityscape. He’s one of the few horses that arrives into the race having had a recent run, and another added bonus is that the recent outing was a winning one, which came at Southwell last month. He won impressively by over two lengths that day and despite this requiring a bit more from him he looks to be going in the right direction.
Staying at Musselburgh for the 2:25 which is the Silver Arrow Handicap that’s contested over seven furlongs. This is another competitive-looking affair but I like the chances of Gweedore at 7/1 for Katie Scott and in-form jockey Billy Loughnane who takes off five pounds. He actually won this race last year and went on to post several more impressive efforts in decent handicaps throughout last season, including winning a competitive fourteen-runner affair at Ayr in September. He’s proved that he can go well fresh, he’s got good form over course and distance and he’ll no issue at all with the ground. A bold showing to retain his crown would be no great surprise.
The 3:00 at Musselburgh is up next for me which is the Scottish Sprint Cup which is a Class 2 Handicap that’s ridden over five furlongs. Again, this is really competitive as you could make a case for most of the field. I’m taking a chance on Zarzyni here at 6/1 for Ben Curtis and David & Nicola Barron. His most recent form doesn’t fill you with much enthusiasm, however, prior to the back-end of last season he was a consistent sort and has dropped back down to a mark that’s below his last winning one. He’s also a course and distance winner and if things fall right for him in this competitive affair he’s got every chance of bouncing back to form off this mark.
My final selection of the day comes in the 3:30 at Cork which is the Listed Cork Stakes that’s contested over six furlongs. I’m keeping this one simple as I think it’s all about Tenebrism at 10/11 who’s my NAP of the day for Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien. She’s got miles the best form on offer here and this represents a significant ease in grade to what she’s been used to in his most recent campaign. She’s already a two-time Group 1 winner having won the Cheveley Park Stakes as well as a French Group 1 at Deauville, this is top-level form and she wouldn’t need to be anywhere near that level to win this.
Everything Racing 