French Dynamite hunting Grade Two honours for Morris

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French Dynamite bids to cap a fine season with victory in Monday’s McInerney Properties Fairyhouse Chase at Fairyhouse.

Mouse Morris’ eight-year-old started the campaign with a win over hurdles at Thurles, but has since proven a consistent performer over the larger obstacles.

Runner-up in the Paddy Power Gold Cup in November, he ran well for a long way when fifth in the Savills Chase over the Christmas period before finishing second to Fakir D’oudairies when returned to an intermediate trip in Thurles’ Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase.

He was last seen again running with real credit to finish fourth in the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and his handler would love to see conditions dry out ahead of his Easter Monday assignment.

Mouse Morris with Mark Walsh
Mouse Morris with Mark Walsh (PA)

“He will need the ground to dry up because it is very tacky up there at the minute,” said Morris.

“I’m hoping it will and he seems none the worse for Cheltenham. He ran a good race in the Ryanair, the ground was a bit tight and it will depend on the ground again. If it dries up he will have a chance, but it’s a bit testing there at the minute, which wouldn’t be up his street.

“He’s run some great races and is very consistent and long may it last. It will be nice to win a graded race.”

Willie Mullins is responsible for three of the six runners that go to post in the Grade Two event and Easy Game appears the Closutton first string following victories over Kemboy at both Listowel and Gowran in the autumn.

The mount of Paul Townend has won 11 times over the larger obstacles and as well as looking to extend his current winning streak, is searching for a third-straight victory in this two-and-a-half-mile contest.

Easy Game looks for his third straight Easter victory at Fairyhouse
Easy Game looks for his third straight Easter victory at Fairyhouse (Niall Carson/PA)

Royal Rendezvous and Janidil are the others lining up for the Irish champion trainer, with the latter looking to return to the form that saw him score at Gowran in February following a below-par showing at the Cheltenham Festival.

“He didn’t jump great at Cheltenham,” said Frank Berry, racing manager for Janidil’s owner JP McManus.

“He was a bit disappointing there and his jumping let him down, but Willie thinks he has him back in good form and we’re hoping for the best.”

The green and gold of McManus appears to have solid representation in the Donohue Marquees Juvenile Hurdle, where again Mullins holds all the aces at the top of the market.

Blood Destiny was underwhelming when sent off 3-1 for the Triumph Hurdle, but returns to the scene of his prior 18-length romp attempting to get back on track, while stablemate Gust Of Wind ran with real credit in that Festival contest to finish fourth and is an improving juvenile.

Blood Destiny ridden by jockey Patrick Mullins (second right, red silks) in action as they compete in the JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival
Blood Destiny ridden by jockey Patrick Mullins (second right, red silks) in action as they compete in the JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival (David Davies for The Jockey Club)

McManus’ hopes, however, are pinned to Tekao – who was sent off the 3-1 favourite for the Fred Winter at Prestbury Park and before that finished third in a Dublin Racing Festival Grade One behind stablemates Gala Marceau and Lossiemouth.

“He didn’t behave himself particularly well before the race at Cheltenham and got lit up down at the start,” added Berry.

“He only jumped OK and was a bit disappointing, so we’re on a recovery mission and we’ll see how we go. You would hope he will run well, but he has to come back from a disappointing run.”

The leading owner is also represented by Padraig Roach’s Cougar – a Deep Impact colt who is two from three over obstacles.

Jockey Mark Walsh in the winners enclosure with trainer Padraig Roche and Frank Berry after winning the Value Cabs 3-Y-O Hurdle on Cougar during day two of the Ladbrokes Festival of Racing at Down Royal Racecourse (PA)
Jockey Mark Walsh in the winners enclosure with trainer Padraig Roche and Frank Berry after winning the Value Cabs 3-Y-O Hurdle on Cougar during day two of the Ladbrokes Festival of Racing at Down Royal Racecourse (PA)

“He jumped very well early on and probably got a few soft touches, but for whatever reason he didn’t perform very well at Leopardstown,” said Berry. “He’s after having a nice break, so we’re hoping he will run well.”

Dual Cheltenham Festival winner Monkfish looks to defy a 713-day absence when he makes his eagerly-awaited return in the Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Hurdle.

He forms one half of a formidable hand for Mullins in the Grade Two contest, with the master of Closutton also saddling Asterion Forlonge, who will bid to go one better than his Thurles second on reappearance.

Fil Dor (Gordon Elliott), Beacon Edge (Noel Meade) and HMS Seahorse (Paul Nolan) all disappointed in the Coral Cup when last sighted but attempt to bounce back here, while Paddy Corkery’s Master McShee completes the sextet taking part.

Flame Bearer digs deep for Fairyhouse Gold

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Flame Bearer clung on grimly to lead home a Willie Mullins whitewash in a WilllowWarm Gold Cup marred by the fatal fall of Mighty Potter.

Eight runners went to post for the two-and-a-half-mile Grade One, with the champion trainer saddling six in his bid for a fifth successive victory in a race which has his two Cheltenham Gold Cup heroes Al Boum Photo (2018) and Galopin Des Champs (2022) on its roll of honour.

The turning point came in the back straight, with Gordon Elliott’s 6-5 favourite and four-time Grade One winner Mighty Potter suffering a heavy fall, impeding Gavin Cromwell’s outsider Brides Hill, who was ultimately pulled up.

From there on it was just a question of which Mullins runner would claim top honours and while he was weary on the run-in after leading from flag-fall, Flame Bearer and Sean O’Keeffe had just enough in the tank to hold on by half a length from Sir Gerhard and Patrick Mullins.

Appreciate It was best of the rest in third, with James Du Berlais, Authorized Art and Adamantly Chosen the other finishers.

Of the winner, Mullins’ assistant David Casey said: “He’s a decent horse but he probably wouldn’t have been my first choice.

“I thought what he did in Thurles the last day was very good. He bucked out, jumped well, went a gallop and kept at it. If you have those novices jumping well in front, it’s a huge help.

“Sean went at it, went a good gallop and he jumped great. He got into a lovely rhythm and he did it well.”

When it was put to him that he could be a Ryanair Chase horse for next year, Casey added: “Hopefully, why not, we’ll aim for the stars. That’s the route you’d have to be looking anyway.”

Conditions crucial to Thedevilscoachman’s Irish National claims

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Noel Meade feels soft ground is key to the chances of ante-post favourite Thedevilscoachman in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

The JP McManus-owned seven-year-old has won three of his six starts over fences to date, supplementing four victories from six outings over hurdles.

His only defeat in four chase appearances so far this season came in December’s Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse when falling at the final fence, since when he has registered back-to-back Grade Three victories at Naas and Limerick.

He carries a 2lb penalty for the latter success a fortnight ago and Meade is hopeful he can make his presence felt if conditions are suitable and he can overcome a perceived lack of experience.

“Everything is good at the moment, we’re just hoping the ground doesn’t dry up too much,” he said.

“Everything has gone good since he won in Limerick. He’s still only a novice and he has to overcome that. He hasn’t had that many runs over fences, but we’re hopeful.

“He certainly stays three miles well. You don’t really know about three-mile-five until you have a go so we’ll see, but hopefully he will stay.”

Thedevilscoachman is one of three runners for Meade, who won the 2002 Irish Grand National with The Bunny Boiler.

Lieutenant Command and Farceur Du Large are both outsiders for Gigginstown House Stud, but Meade believes it would be dangerous to dismiss them, adding: “They’re definitely not out of it.

Trainer Noel Meade will saddle three runners in the Irish Grand National
Trainer Noel Meade will saddle three runners in the Irish Grand National (Niall Carson/PA)

“Lieutenant Command wants good ground and the better the ground, the better the chance he’ll have. Again the trip is a bit of an unknown with him, but he’s a fine horse and if we get good ground he’ll certainly give a good account of himself.

“Farceur Du Large was running a good race in the Paddy Power Chase in Leopardstown over Christmas and then made a mistake which put him out of it.

“He unshipped Bryan (Cooper) at the first the last day and it’s hard to get that of your head, but he’s still a horse who could run well if things go his way.”

Sam Curling’s Angels Dawn and the Gavin Cromwell-trained Stumptown renew rivalry after being separated by only a neck when first and second in the Kim Muir at last month’s Cheltenham Festival.

Angels Dawn leads Stumptown at the final fence at Cheltenham
Angels Dawn leads Stumptown at the final fence at Cheltenham (David Davies/PA)

Curling said: “She came out of Cheltenham well and we’ve been happy with her since, so all is good.

“They’re giving a bit of rain tonight, so you’d hope the ground will be soft and there’s plenty in our favour hopefully.

“For a small yard like ours, it’s great to have a runner in an Irish Grand National with a chance and we’re looking forward to it.”

The powerhouse stables of Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott are well represented, with Mullins saddling I Am Maximus, Tenzing and Dolcita, while Chemical Energy and The Goffer are two of eight for Elliott.

I Am Maximus finished fourth in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham and he was subsequently bought by JP McManus, whose racing manager Frank Berry said: “He ran well at Cheltenham. He’s still a maiden (over fences) but it’s a good race for novices and Willie is very happy with him. We’re hoping to see a good run in what is a very competitive race.”

Other leading hopes include Martin Brassil’s Panda Boy, Henry de Bromhead’s Amirite and Barry Connell’s Espanito Bello, while Joseph O’Brien has a couple of chances in Fire Attack and Busselton.

He said: “Fire Attack would love soft ground whereas Busselton is seen to best effect on slightly better ground, but he’s been a very consistent horse.

“Fire Attack has had a couple of falls. He’s actually a good jumper, but he’s made a couple of silly mistakes and fell in the Kerry National.

“He’s been a little bit unlucky, but he’s threatened to win a big race and I think he will when things fall his way.”

Bachasson extends winning run with Cork glory

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The prolific Bachasson led his rivals a merry dance to secure a 17th career victory in the Bar One Racing Chase at Cork.

The Willie Mullins-trained grey is in the twilight of his career at the age of 12, but proved the fire still burns bright when making a successful return from over two years off the track at Clonmel last month – his sixth win in succession.

Despite facing a six-time Grade One-winning stablemate in Chacun Pour Soi, who was testing the water over three miles for the first time in a bid to turn around his form, Bachasson was the 6-4 favourite to add to his tally and made every yard of the running in the hands of Sean Flanagan.

Chacun Pour Soi loomed up looking a threat on the run to the final fence, with Feronily also bang in the mix, but Bachasson found plenty once challenged to prevail by three and a quarter lengths, with Feronily narrowly beating Chacun Pour Soi to the runner-up spot.

Flanagan said: “I actually texted David Casey yesterday morning when I saw nobody down to ride him. That’s my third ride for Willie and my second winner, so I’ll try to keep up the strike-rate!

“Bachasson was attacking his fences and was very quick through the air. Obviously he liked the bit of nicer ground today and did it well. He is very very clever and still has loads of enthusiasm.

“He is a classy horse and every time he straightened up and saw a fence, he priced his ears and was attacking all the time – I was taking him back on the flat.

“He doesn’t feel like he’s a 12-year-old.”

Diamond sparkles with Grade One verdict at Fairyhouse

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Ashroe Diamond gained compensation for missing out on an appearance at the Cheltenham Festival with a dominant victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Placed behind the top-class pair of Marine Nationale and Facile Vega in successive Grade Ones earlier in the season, the six-year-old went on to claim a Grade Three prize at Fairyhouse in January, ensuring she headed to the Cotswolds as a major contender for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle – only to be ruled out on the morning of declarations.

Taking on several of those who did line up at Cheltenham, Ashroe Diamond was the 2-1 favourite to provide Willie Mullins with a sixth victory in the last 10 runnings of this Grade One contest and ultimately got the job done emphatically under an ice-cool ride from Paul Townend.

In a race run at a strong gallop from flag-fall, the market leader was buried in midfield for much of the two-and-a-half-mile journey.

As the pacesetting Harmonya Maker faltered, 66-1 shot Whatcouldhavebeen made an eyecatching move to grab the lead and quickly took several lengths out of the field in a bid to cause a shock.

Townend, though, did not panic and Ashroe Diamond made up the ground comfortably between the final two flights, reeling in the leader and pulling five lengths clear on the run-in.

Willie Mullins claimed another Grade One prize with Ashroe Diamond
Willie Mullins claimed another Grade One prize with Ashroe Diamond (Tim Goode/PA)

Mullins’ assistant, David Casey, said: “She was very good, Paul said she did everything right.

“She got a bit keen, but she travelled like a dream and jumped brilliant. She did it very easy.

“Who knows what would have happened at Cheltenham, but it’s great to win today – it’s very important for the mares.

“Hopefully she’ll go forward next year. She got a nasty cut behind there and I’d say she’ll need a couple of stitches.”

Mostahdaf team eyeing distance switch for Dubai fourth

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Mostahdaf is likely to be dropped back to 10 furlongs when he returns to action following a respectable effort when up against Japanese superstar Equinox in the Dubai Sheema Classic.

John and Thady Gosden’s five-year-old produced a career best to win the mile-and-a-quarter Neom Turf Cup in tremendous fashion in February.

But he had the misfortune of bumping into Tetsuya Kimura’s ultra-impressive colt when upped to a mile and a half at Meydan, paying the price for trying to match strides with Equinox and fading into fourth in the World Cup night Group One.

Having secured £750,000 for his Riyadh success and topped that up with a further £250,000 for finishing fourth in Dubai, the son of Frankel is now enjoying a well-earned rest before recommencing battle on home soil later in the summer.

“He bumped into a monster and I thought he ran a great race,” said Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell, when reflecting on Mostahdaf’s exploits in the early part of 2023.

“He probably paid the price for chasing the winner off the bend late on and faded to fourth. The winner was that good he just went right away and our horse tried to go with him off the bend and paid for that.

“I think we will probably drop him back in trip in time to a mile and a quarter. He has plenty of pace, as we saw in Saudi the time before.

“I spoke to John (Gosden) and he seemed very happy with the horse and he seems to have come out of the race in really good shape. We’ll just freshen him up, give him a little break and hopefully have him back mid-summer.

“He’s done us proud and has earned £1million before the season has started over here.”

Although there may be few secrets left to discover about Mostahdaf, there is plenty to learn about his half-brother Mostabshir in the coming months.

Also trained by the Gosdens, the Dark Angel colt is nearing a return following a taking debut at Kempton in November and is a possible for a Guineas trial in the next couple of weeks if continuing to please connections.

“We’re happy with him so far and he will probably run during that Craven week, either at Newmarket or Newbury,” continued Gold.

“We will just see nearer the time if that will be the Craven Stakes or the conditions race there (Newmarket), or even the Greenham.

“But we will see how he is doing and whether we want to start him off a bit easier than that, or if everyone is happy with him and we go for a trial.

“He’s won his only start and he’s potentially nice, but now we have to see the next step.”

You Wear It Well heading Snowden’s likely Aintree squad

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Jamie Snowden is looking to continue a fine season as his Cheltenham heroine You Wear It Well heads to Aintree.

The six-year-old has been beaten just once all term when second in the Grade One Challow Hurdle, outside of which she has been a decisive winner of four contests.

Her most recent success came in the Jack de Bromhead Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, a Grade Two event at the Cheltenham Festival.

That two-and-three-quarter-length victory was a first Festival success for Snowden since 2014, when Present View struck for the same owner in Sir Chips Keswick – the former Arsenal chairman.

“Having worked for both Nicky (Henderson) and Paul (Nicholls) beforehand, I kind of thought, rather naively, that these things were going to happen rather more regularly,” Snowden said of the nine-year gap to a second Festival win.

Jockey Gavin Sheehan You Wear It Well
Jockey Gavin Sheehan You Wear It Well (Tim Goode/PA)

“To wait nine years for our next winner was incredibly special and very poignant that our children were there picking up the trophy that was the Jack de Bromhead trophy this year.

“It was a very special moment. It was a great boost for everyone at Folly House, it is all credit to the whole team, I’m delighted with how the season is going.”

You Wear It Well will head next for either the Top Novices’ Hurdle or the Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle, both Grade One races run over two miles and two and a half miles respectively.

“She’s bouncing, she’s taken all her races well and has improved with every start,” said Snowden.

“She won the two-mile-four-furlong Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle then dropped back in trip to win over two miles at Cheltenham.

Jamie Snowden at the Cheltenham Festival
Jamie Snowden at the Cheltenham Festival (Tim Goode/PA)

“She looks versatile trip wise, so we will see what the ground is like and entries and make a decision.

“She handles a bit of cut in the ground but with it having been a relatively dry season, she has also handled the better ground too.

“I think she is hopefully a good mare that can handle all ground conditions, but a bit of cut would certainly help her.”

Kiltealy Briggs is another likely to head to Aintree, with the Topham Chase as his aim having schooled well over Lambourn’s National-style fences in preparation.

“He goes well fresh, his handicap mark has dropped down to below his previous winning mark and the plan has been to go to the Topham,” said Snowden.

Kiltealy Briggs at Cheltenham
Kiltealy Briggs at Cheltenham (Steven Paston/PA)

“He is out of a sister to Ballabriggs who won the Grand National, so we are very keen to get him over the National fences, he is a proper jumper.”

Colonel Harry is pencilled in for the Top Novices’ Hurdle at the meeting but also has an alternative option in the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr.

“Colonel Harry has had a wonderful season; he has won a couple of races and was a very good second in the Grade Two Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso and ran a cracking race in the Tolworth Hurdle,” said Snowden.

“We will now decide between Aintree or Ayr.”

Minella Trump aiming to enhance McCain family’s National record

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The name McCain is synonymous with Aintree success and on the 50th anniversary of Red Rum’s first triumph on Merseyside, Donald McCain will bid for his second Randox Grand National victory with Minella Trump.

Ginger McCain won the world’s most famous steeplechase four times thanks to Red Rum’s hat-trick in the 1970s and Amberleigh House’s win in 2004, while the younger McCain added his name to the Grand National record books when saddling Ballabriggs to strike in 2011.

McCain has been missing from the Grand National start sheet since Across The Bay was pulled up in the race in 2015, but the Bankhouse handler could have found the ideal horse to end his National hiatus in style.

Minella Trump and Brian Hughes jump the last to go on and win the Lyn And Holly’s Big Birthday Celebrations Novices’ Chase at Catterick
Minella Trump and Brian Hughes jump the last to go on and win the Lyn And Holly’s Big Birthday Celebrations Novices’ Chase at Catterick (Tim Goode/PA)

Minella Trump returned from a 10-month absence over hurdles at Bangor recently, but has won eight of his last nine outings over the larger obstacles and will fulfil an ambition of the handler to provide long-standing owner Tim Leslie with a Grand National runner when lining up at Aintree as a 66-1 chance.

McCain said: “He’s in good nick and it was good to get the run into him the other day (at Bangor). It wasn’t ideal to run over timber but there was nowhere else to go unless you want to get involved at Cheltenham.

“I’d sooner he’d have run in a chase, but there wasn’t one so we went over hurdles. He did what we wanted him to do in that he’s had a good blow and he’s come back in good shape. We’re all happy.

“He’d done a lot of racing and won a lot of races, so we just gave him a good break. It’s not been that smooth in that we’d have liked to have got a run in when it was appropriate, but the ground was very heavy and there was nowhere to go, so we’ve had to do things slightly different – but it’s never smooth.

“He’s a great little horse and I don’t know if he’s going under the radar a bit, as he knows how to win. He’s probably not the most impressive when he’s doing it, but that’s probably the reason why he keeps managing to win, because he’s never doing it by too far. We’ve got a good racing weight in a big field handicap, so it’s a positive for sure.

“He’s beaten some smart horses, including the Grand National favourite Corach Rambler. He’s had a much smoother journey to Aintree and that sort of stuff and looks a thorough stayer and so on, but Minella Trump is in good nick and we’re looking forward to getting him there.”

Trainer Donald McCain is bidding for his second victory in the Randox Grand National
Trainer Donald McCain is bidding for his second victory in the Randox Grand National (Simon Marper/PA)

He continued: “We’re not there yet of course, but it would be very nice to have our first runner for a few years.

“It will be very special to have it for Tim Leslie, too, as it’s been an ambition of his since I started training to have a runner in the race. To get there and have a runner for him would be fantastic as he’s been a wonderful supporter.”

Risk Belle rewards favourite-backers – but only after anxious wait

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Risk Belle justified favouritism in the €100,000 RYBO Handicap Hurdle at Fairyhouse but needed the assistance of the stewards to claim victory.

It was Sean Doyle’s Monbeg Park who was first past the past, coming home half a length clear of the Willie Mullins-trained 7-2 market leader.

However, with half a furlong to run the two got close together and at one point Risk Belle was knocked off her stride.

Brian Lawless, on Monbeg Park, tried his hardest to keep his mount off Risk Belle, but he continued to lug right and the decision perhaps came as no surprise.

Risk Belle had jumped the last upsides in the Boodles at Cheltenham before being beaten a neck into third by Jazzy Matty, who finished down the field in this.

It capped a fine day for owner JP McManus, who was on hand to welcome back three winners, with Tony Martin’s Gain De Cause (15-8) winning the Fred Kenny Lifetime Services To Racing Ladies National Handicap Chase and Canal End (9-4) the opening Tom Quinlan Electrical Maiden Hurdle.

Canal End was a victory on his return to action for Mark Walsh, who having also been on Risk Belle will have been pleased with a double on his first day out since Cheltenham.

“She got good experience in Cheltenham and you would have called her a winner jumping the last and just got run out of it up the hill. She had a lovely light weight today,” said Walsh of Risk Belle

“She got a good run through the race and it all went to plan bar the interference after the last. Hopefully she can keep improving.”

Frank Berry, McManus’ racing manager, said: “She got a couple of bumps. It’s never a nice way to win and also a horrible way to lose, but she ran a blinder.

“She got a bad fall in Leopardstown and was a bit unlucky in the Boodles so it’s nice for her to get that. She jumped great today and if she comes out of this well there is every chance she will go on to Punchestown.”

Mullins was also on the mark with Annamix (18-1) and Instit (15-2), with both beating better-fancied stablemates.

Wise Eagle gives Adam Nicol a Saturday winner to savour

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Adam Nicol celebrated the biggest success of his training career when Wise Eagle swooped down the outside to win the £100,000 tote Summer World Pool Queen’s Cup at Musselburgh.

Nicol made his name as the rider of Phil Kirby’s popular mare Lady Buttons, but when injury brought a premature end to his days in the saddle, he took out a licence to train.

Among the first of his horses stabled at his yard on the north-east coast at Seahouses was Wise Eagle, bought for a mere 7,000 guineas.

Danny Tudhope and trainer Adam Nicol receive their prizes
Danny Tudhope and trainer Adam Nicol receive their prizes (Steve Welsh/PA)

Nicol said of his 9-1 winner, who was ridden by Danny Tudhope: “He’s unbelievable. I was lost for words. They tried to interview me on TV and I couldn’t speak.

“We’re a family business, there’s me and my partner and we’ve only just taken on a member of staff. My dad does all the tractor work while my mum looks after our two-year-old child.

“We’re with the horses seven days a week so for him to pull this off like that is unbelievable, we bought this horse for 7,000 guineas because Tom Clover said he hated it in Newmarket and needed a change of scenery. He was the second horse we got in.

“At the time I didn’t even have a gallop in so we took him down to the beach at Bamburgh. We actually bought him as a dual-purpose horse, but I’ve told the lads until he gets exposed on the Flat we’ve got to carry on as there’s so much more money.”

Danny Tudhope with Wise Eagle
Danny Tudhope with Wise Eagle (Steve Welsh/PA)

Nicol went on: “He’s just improved and improved. We started running him in jumpers’ bumpers and he beat a good horse of Donald McCain’s called Dear Sire so I realised he might be decent. He won his first race off 67 and has won today off 98.

“He’s so versatile, I even took the cheekpieces off today as I worried he might be fresh so we’ve got those still up our sleeve. He’s won round Pontefract over two-mile-two yet he’s won over a mile and a half at Newcastle.

“We can look at the Northumberland Plate, the Chester Cup is an option, there’s the Copper Horse race at Royal Ascot and there’s a one-mile-six handicap at the Guineas meeting too. It’s brilliant to be thinking of races like that.

“The lads who own him, they are just builders and the like from the village. I told them to ring the club back home to get some extra crates in because they won’t be shutting tonight!”

Billy Loughnane with Gweedore
Billy Loughnane with Gweedore (Steve Welsh/PA)

Billy Loughnane continues to rack up landmark wins and having won the Brocklesby at Doncaster last weekend, ensured his first ride at Musselburgh was a winner.

Riding Gweedore for Katie Scott in the tote.co.uk Bet£5Get£20 Musselburgh Silver Arrow Handicap, despite being unshipped on the way to the start Loughnane bounced the 7-2 joint-favourite into an early lead and he made all to win by two and a quarter lengths to once more prove his liking for the course.

Clifford Lee enjoyed an armchair ride on Karl Burke’s Silky Wilkie (6-1) in the tote World Pool Scottish Sprint Cup Handicap, while Joe Fanning made all on Finn’s Charm (9-1) in the tote World Pool Scottish Sprint Cup Handicap