15:30 Musselburgh

Friday 11 August 2017

All14:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:3017:00

EBF Scottish Premier Series Fillies' Handicap

Off time: 15:31 | Winning time: 1m 27.51s

(7)

Alexandrakollontai^b¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-12| J: Rowan Scott⁽⁵⁾| T: A C Whillans| OR: 79| D

11/2

Winner of 12 races but has yet to produce back to back victories. That trend looks likely to continue under a 6lb rise for landing a lower grade race at Redcar last week.

Form: 284871

(1)

Alpine Dream^b,h¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 76

5/1

Hit hard by the handicapper for her Chester success and form has been mixed since. Possible to make excuses for her latest effort and previous run at York would give her a chance.

Form: 341524

(3)

Forever A Lady⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: A Mullen| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 74| BF| D

12/1

Gets a 7lb pull with Alpine Dream for the length she was beaten at Chester in June. Form has dipped since and only beat one home at Carlisle earlier in the week. Has failed to make the frame in five previous visits here.

Form: 227549

(6)

The Stalking Moon⁷^{(ex 6)}

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Jason Hart| T: J & S Quinn| OR: 74| CD

3/1

All three victories have come with some give in the ground but has gone well on quicker surfaces too. Shoulders a 6lb penalty for a career best effort last week. That should be less of a problem in a race where there are no potential handicap snips.

Form: 434171

(5)

Groupie¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: J P Sullivan| T: T P Tate| OR: 78| D

16/1

The stable were going through a good spell when she won in lower grade at Haydock. Woeful effort last time cannot be explained by the going and it seems more likely the Haydock form amounts to very little.

Form: 8-08610

(2)

Whatsthemessage⁶^{(ex 6)}

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: G Lee| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 70| D

5/2

Carries a 6lb penalty for last weekend's Thirsk success and meets other significant rivals in a similar position. Tactically versatile and ultra-game so not one to be dismissed lightly.

Form: 541231

(4)

Maureb^p¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Barry McHugh| T: T Coyle & K Wood| OR: 67| D

12/1

Made all to score at Carlisle and the drop to 5f last time now looks ill-conceived. Probably the only horse in this contest who can be argued to be on a fair mark but the yard have gone off the boil lately.

Form: 724619

(8)

Sea Of Green^p⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-8| J: Sean Mooney⁽⁷⁾| T: J S Goldie| OR: 61

25/1

Winner of a modest Ayr race last month which hardly warranted the handicapper's reaction. Well held in three starts since and faces another stiff task here.

Form: 631440

Forecasts

Whatsthemessage (5/2), The Stalking Moon (3/1), Alpine Dream (5/1), Alexandrakollontai (11/2), Maureb (12/1), Forever A Lady (12/1), Groupie (16/1), Sea Of Green (25/1)

It would be hard to argue any of these are on the right side of the handicapper. Maureb looks best in at the weights but the yard's horses have not been going as well lately. Whatsthemessage and The Stalking Moon have proven to be improving fillies capable of defying their penalties.. However, with quicker ground forecast, it may pay to side with ALPINE DREAM. Tim Easterby's horses are going well at present and it is possible to excuse her latest defeat. Her previous run at York showed she had improved since accounting for Forever A Lady at Chester and she is proven off this mark.