Tony McFadden provides an overview of the key things to note on Thursday.
Coul Angel's a sprinter on the up
Billy Loughnane isn't taking time out to celebrate setting a new record for winners in a calendar year this century as he's been booked for five rides at Southwell on New Year's Day.
One of his best chances appears to be on Coul Angel in the £45,000 sprint handicap (14:30). It's a highly competitive sprint, but the progressive Coul Angel looks a big player having seemed unlucky when denied a hat-trick at Kempton last time.
Coul Angel was dropped out from his wide draw having been awkwardly away, but a steady pace by sprint standards meant he was left with a lot to do in the straight. He was still last of the ten runners when shaken up inside the final couple of furlongs, but he made good headway to run on into second and was beaten only by one who benefited from being ridden close to the steady early pace.
That eye-catching effort earned Coul Angel the Horse In Focus Flag from Timeform's reporter and he deserves to have that performance marked up. He's shown run-by-run improvement on Timeform's figures during this all-weather campaign and could have more to offer with the prolific Loughnane taking over in the saddle for the first time.
Cueros should have suitable conditions at Musselburgh
Cueros takes the long journey from Harry Derham's yard in Berkshire to Musselburgh to contest the two-mile handicap hurdle (15:25), but it's likely a journey the trainer has had in mind for a while.
Cueros, a prolific winner on the Flat in Jersey, made a bright start over hurdles for Derham when impressively quickening 14 lengths clear at Newcastle, showing plenty of speed.
That speed looked blunted by softer conditions when he was runner-up on his next start at Wetherby and it was a similar story at Plumpton last time, where he travelled best and loomed up briefly early in the straight but was left behind up the run-in.
Timeform's reporter noted that 'he could rekindle that early positive impression in handicaps away from the mud', so it is little surprise that Derham has chosen Musselburgh - one of the most reliable sources of decent ground in Britain - as the venue for Cueros' next start.
He's not obviously well treated based on the bare form of what he's shown so far, but he's the only runner in the line-up with the Timeform 'small p' for potential improver and should relish the test of speed that Musselburgh provides.
Concert Boy has rock-solid record at Newcastle
Concert Boy has been campaigned exclusively at Newcastle this winter and has been enjoying a productive time. His form figures this all-weather campaign read 231221, with the recent victory, over the same course and distance he tackles in the mile handicap (16:05) on New Year's Day, rated by Timeform as his best performance for a couple of years.
He was probably sent for home too soon when runner-up to a similarly thriving rival on his penultimate start, but he made amends only four days later when powering to a four-length success, earning the Horse In Focus Flag from Timeform's reporter.
That wide-margin win incurred a 9 lb hike in the weights but Concert Boy still looks fairly treated and comes out narrowly on top on Timeform's adjusted ratings. He looks set to go well again at a track where he had four wins and was placed on a further eight occasions from 14 starts in 2025.
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