16:00 Musselburgh

Saturday 2 June 2018

All13:4014:1514:5015:2516:0016:5517:30

Gaynor Winyard Handicap

Off time: 16:00 | Winning time: 1m 55.35s

(2)

Big Storm Coming¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 9-7| J: Phil Dennis⁽³⁾| T: J & S Quinn| OR: 75| C

16/1

Course winner over 7f last year on his comeback when with David Brown off a 1lb lower mark. Wasn't in the same form after that and has run poorly on both starts so far for his new yard (both runs off higher marks).

Form: 1/129-90

(9)

X Rated⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: F Norton| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 73| BF| D

3/1

Consistent sort nut hardly a serial winner and even the run of the race last time at Redcar (1m2f, good) failed to help him break his losing run. Handicapper finding it hard to relent and a tough task to get to the front from his wide draw.

Form: 4-42343

(1)

Zeshov^p⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-4| J: P Makin| T: Rebecca Bastiman| OR: 72| C

9/2

Keeps running to a consistent level and that forces the handicapper to keep him at around the same mark. Twice a course winner here over the 1m trip he's proved himself off marks like this but just needs a race to drop his way.

Form: 065323

(12)

Amy Blair^h²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: Connor Beasley| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 71| D

20/1

Wide draw (stall 12) makes life difficult having shown most of his best form at Hamilton in the past (won five times there; never won elsewhere). Looked to need the run at Hamilton last time and a course record here of 867 discourages.

Form: 10170-6

(4)

Chinese Spirit²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: D Nolan| T: R M Smith| OR: 69| D

9/2

A dual Ayr winner last year over 1m and 1m1f (both with give in the ground) he wasn't disgraced on his comeback over C&D. Likely to come on for that run the major question would be can he handle this quick ground.

Form: 14710-4

(5)

Palmerston^v1³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Nathan Evans| T: Mrs Marjorie Fife| OR: 68

16/1

His form when winning at Beverley last year over 1m on quick ground looked useful but he never quite backed that up for the Mick Appleby yard. His four runs back from a break for his new yard have seen his mark fall but no advantage taken as yet.

Form: 90-6759

(10)

Thorntoun Care¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-0| J: P Mulrennan| T: I Jardine| OR: 68| C

14/1

Course winner here last year over 1m4f taking advantage of a mark that was well below his peak winning one. Continued at the top of his game for the most part after that but his two most recent starts have been blighted by slow starts.

Form: 1227-37

(7)

Smugglers Creek^p¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: P Hanagan| T: I Jardine| OR: 65

4/1

Has done far better than his finishing position would suggest in his last two starts (chased overly strong pace both times). This will be the furthest trip that he's tried but with a more measured ride he's one to be of interest.

Form: 036924

(8)

Rockwood^v¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 8-11| J: B A Curtis| T: Karen McLintock| OR: 65| D

11/2

His last two runs have certainly suggested that he's heading back in the right direction; being better than his final finishing position on both occasions. Features off a very handy mark here on his old form especially if he gets a good gallop.

Form: 647743

(11)

Crazy Tornado^h¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: Rowan Scott⁽³⁾| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 63

28/1

Both his runs this season have contained some promise the trip too short the first time and a stronger gallop needed last time. Now back to a suitable trip and down to a mark that is the same as his last winning one; draw a difficult one.

Form: 5763-50

Non-Runners

(3)

Lucky Violet²

Weight: 8-4| Age: 6

T: Miss L A Perratt J: Josephine Gordon

(6)

Colour Contrast²

Weight: 8-2| Age: 5

T: I Jardine J: David Egan

Forecasts

X Rated (3/1), Smugglers Creek (4/1), Chinese Spirit (9/2), Zeshov (9/2), Rockwood (11/2), Colour Contrast (8/1), Thorntoun Care (14/1), Big Storm Coming (16/1), Palmerston (16/1), Amy Blair (20/1), Lucky Violet (25/1), Crazy Tornado (28/1)

Quite a few that can be considered in this but the last two starts by SMUGGLERS CREEK would surely have seen him win at least once if he had been given a more conservative/sensible ride, chasing or running up with an overly strong pace both times. Rockwood is well handicapped and once he gets a proper gallop to run at he’ll be dangerous of this mark. X Rated might find it hard to get from the front from his wide draw and Thorntoun Care will need to be smarter at the start as he’s also drawn wide. Zeshov is well drawn and keeps running well from a yard that have a good record here and although he’s not won for a while there is nothing wrong with his attitude.