PUNTERS at Musselburgh on Monday will be on a winner before they start as the track is once again hosting a "free" day – courtesy of the bookmakers and caterers on the East Lothian course.
More than 5000 adults and children turned up on the corresponding day last year when the track's 40 bookmakers funded the cost of admission in an experiment which proved to be a huge success.
So once again the usual £13 admission fee is being waiv
ed as the bookies – along with the various catering franchise holders – foot the bill, and a similar crowd is expected again.
"It was hugely successful twelve months ago and we are extremely grateful to the bookmakers and caterers for their assistance again," said commercial manager Sarah Montgomery. "It helps to attract families and to introduce people to racing in general – and Musselburgh in particular."
And Just The Lady can ensure they go home in profit by completing a hat-trick of victories in the Ladbrokes Racecourse Team Nursery (4.15) – giving rookie trainer Ollie Pears his first winner in the East Lothian track in the process.
The ex-jump jockey has an impressive 16 per cent strike rate with eight winners on the level and one over jumps since he took out a licence to train in November and bought Just The Lady for 7,800 guineas after she had hacked up in a seller at Lingfield a month ago when trained by Bill Turner.
The youngster was third here at Musselburgh in April when she was caught only in the final 50 yards and beaten in a three-horse photo finish. The filly has bags of pace and made all to win at Beverley on her first run for her new connections. She just lasted home on that stiff track, but this easy five furlongs should be just up her street.
Forrest Star was just caught in the last hundred yards when runner-up here last month and can go one better in the IME Cost Effective Property Maiden Stakes (3.15). The filly is trained in Lanarkshire by Linda Perratt and showed little on her only run as a juvenile.
She was well beaten on her reappearance at Newcastle in April too but then finished fourth at Hamilton before that good recent effort on this track. That was over seven furlongs and she tackles the same trip again.
Handsome Cross caught my eye when fifth on his reappearance at Beverley recently and can take the Betfair Le Garcon d'Or Handicap (3.45). The gelding has not won since landing the valuable Scottish Sprint Cup over this course and distance two years ago for Dandy Nicholls and switched stables during the winter after a trip to the December sales.
He is now trained by Mrs Anne Duffield and surprised connections by running well until tiring in the final furlong on the stiff uphill climb to the line at Beverley as it was felt he needed the outing badly.
It seems his new surroundings have helped rekindle his enthusiasm and the exercise will have brought him on considerably
Glasgow trainer Jim Goldie has a good record on the seaside circuit and Grand Diamond can defy top weight in the Hills Williams Logan – the Rails Bookmakers Handicap (4.45). The gelding's only victory so far came on this track last August and he looks set to shine here.
Joe Rowntree's selections: 3.15 Forrest Star; 3.45 Handsone Cross; 4.15 Just The Lady; 4.45 Grand Diamond.
The full article contains 589 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
