Tony McFadden provides an overview of the key things to note on Tuesday.
Three points of interest
Return to Ripon to suit Jesmond Dawn
Jesmond Dawn was a distant third at Ripon on his racecourse debut and sole outing as a two-year-old, but he has proved much more competitive in three subsequent visits to the course and is clearly effective at a track which can unbalance some horses due to its undulating nature.
Jesmond Dawn's three handicap appearances at Ripon have resulted in a win and two seconds, with all three efforts of a similar merit on Timeform's figures and right up there with the pick of his form. That effectiveness at Ripon is highlighted by Timeform's Horses For Courses Flag.
He's not been at his best in three starts since finishing runner-up at Ripon in July, but he has eased in the weights as a consequence and is able to compete in the track's mile handicap (16:05) from a 1 lb lower mark than when successful in the race 12 months ago.
Sophiesticate bidding to complete Musselburgh hat-trick
Sophiesticate missed all of last season, but she's shown she retains a fair amount of ability and has finished placed on half of her eight outings this term, including her last three starts.
Sophiesticate has raced exclusively at Ayr this term but returns to Musselburgh on Tuesday for the extended mile-and-a-half handicap (16:50) bidding to make it three from three over course and distance.
She won this race three years ago and registered her latest victory here in June 2023. The losing run is starting to mount up, and now stands at 16, but she is 8 lb below her last winning mark and has shown enough at Ayr recently to suggest she's fairly treated, especially if the return to Musselburgh helps her pull out a bit extra.
Saytarr should appreciate step up in trip
Saytarr made no impact on his sole start at seven furlongs, but that was on just his second outing and at a time when he still looked in need of the experience. He has been kept to trips around six furlongs subsequently but looks likely to relish the return to further in the seven-furlong handicap (19:10) at Lingfield.
Saytarr had been gelded ahead of his return from ten months off at Newmarket nearly four weeks ago, and he delivered an improved performance in third, keeping on well enough for Timeform's reporter to state "he's one for the shortlist next time, especially if given another crack at 7f".
That step up in trip didn't come straight away, but Saytarr again gave a good account of himself at Kempton where he found only a rival not long with his new yard too strong. Saytarr was beaten by a neck, but he pulled two lengths clear of the remainder prompting Timeform's reporter to state he "is shaping up well with a view to 7f handicaps, again doing his best work at the finish having been strong in the betting".
That performance earned Saytarr the Horse In Focus Flag from Timeform's reporter, marking him out as one likely to be of interest next time, and he's able to run off the same mark as at Kempton. He's 3 lb clear at the head of Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings, with the step up to seven furlongs offering the potential of further progress.
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