15:15 Musselburgh

Tuesday 3 January 2023

All12:1512:4513:1513:4514:1514:4515:15

Fitzdares Open NH Flat Race (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:43 | Winning time: 3m 49.10s

Kingston Bridge³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Craig Nichol| T: Ewan Whillans| BF| D

18/1

Probably didn't achieve a great deal in terms of bare form when landing a Kelso bumper (16.2f, good to soft) on debut but he did it decisively. Green under pressure when runner-up under a penalty at Ayr.

Form: 12

Act Of Authority²⁸³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy

5/4

(Production):€145,000 3-y-o, £200,000 4-y-o: third foal: dam, fairly useful hurdler (2m winner), also 1¼m-1¾m winner who stayed 2m on Flat:. won sole start in Irish points in March and he has to command serious respect.

Form: 1-

Better Be Definite²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Ryan Mania| T: H Graham & G Rutherford

20/1

Shaped like a stayer when fifth of 10 in bumper at Newcastle (16.2f, good to soft) on NH debut 26 days ago.

Form: 5

Easter Junction²⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr

9/2

50,000 gns 4-y-o, Mount Nelson gelding. Half-brother to 3 winners, including fairly useful hurdler Dreambrook Lady and fair chaser Kilcara, stays 2½m. Runner-up sole start in Irish points (Apr 30) and he's an interesting bumper debutant for good yard.

Form: 2-

Florida Dreams

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Danny McMenamin| T: N G Richards

11/1

€34,000 3-y-o, Doyen gelding. Closely related to winning pointer/poor hurdle winner Tara Line. Dam, 1m winner, half-sister to useful hurdler (stayed 2¾m) Fenix. Newcomer to consider.

Form:

Heeztheboy^h1

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Miss P Robson

33/1

Dylan Thomas gelding. Closely related to fairly useful chaser I'm An Izz Wizz, stayed 3m. Trainer’s newcomers command respect. Wears hood.

Form:

Split The Bill²⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: C O'Farrell| T: Micky Hammond

22/1

Failed to match debut form when third of 7 in bumper at Perth (16.2f, good to soft, 9/2). Off 8 months.

Form: 43-

Thornaby Exceed⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Nathan Moscrop| T: R Menzies

200/1

Limited short-term promise when seventh of 8 in bumper at Newcastle (16.2f, soft) on NH debut 47 days ago.

Form: 7

Wholly Boley

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Mr N McParlan⁽³⁾| T: Gerald Quinn

17/2

First foal, dam dual point winner. Irish raider.

Form:

Ashkhabad^h1⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: M & D Easterby

50/1

7/1, tenth of 16 in bumper at Warwick (16f, soft) on NH debut 63 days ago, unable to sustain effort. Hood quickly reached for.

Form: 0

Donso Star²¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: D R Fox| T: R M Smith

125/1

Held back by inexperience when fourth of 5 in bumper at Perth (16.2f, good, 20/1) on NH debut, running green but getting the hang of things late. Off 7 months.

Form: 4

Nefyn Dawn⁴⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-3| J: Billy Garritty| T: J & S Quinn| BF

6/1

Well backed but wasn't seen to best effect when fourth of 12 in bumper at Huntingdon (13.7f, good to soft) on NH debut 45 days ago, left poorly placed. Likely to step up on that.

Form: 4

Old Gregorian

Age: 4| Weight: 10-3| J: S Mulqueen| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

25/1

Jack Hobbs gelding. Dam (c114/h96) 2m/17f hurdle/chase winner (stayed 2½m), also 7.4f-16.2f winner on Flat.

Form:

Non-Runners

Heer He Goes⁴⁷

Weight: 11-2| Age: 6

T: H Graham & G Rutherford J: Edward Austin

Forecasts

Act Of Authority (5/4), Easter Junction (9/2), Nefyn Dawn (6/1), Wholly Boley (17/2), Florida Dreams (11/1), Kingston Bridge (18/1), Better Be Definite (20/1), Split The Bill (22/1), Old Gregorian (25/1), Heeztheboy (33/1), Ashkhabad (50/1), Heer He Goes (100/1), Donso Star (125/1), Thornaby Exceed (200/1)

NEFYN DAWN is bred for the Flat, and having shaped quite well from a poor track position at Huntingdon, he could be the way to go against mainly longer-term jumps prospects. Act of Authority cost plenty after his point win and is sure to be popular, with Kingston Bridge another to consider.