14:20 Musselburgh

Friday 11 August 2023

All14:2014:5015:2015:5016:2016:5016:53

Champagne Pommery Cuvee Louise Handicap

Off time: 14:21 | Winning time: 2m 43.46s

(4)

Fairmac³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-10| J: J Fanning| T: C Johnston| OR: 76| CD

7/2

Capitalised on falling mark to land 14-runner C&D handicap (soft) in April. Has run no more than respectably since but is back to that winning mark again.

Form: 016886

(5)

Gibside¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 75| BF| D

11/2

Pair of 1½m Ripon wins last summer and has improved again this term, scoring at Carlisle and York in recent months. Another good run when third back at York 13 days ago. Should go well again.

Form: 5-51813

(3)

Freak Out^p³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: S H James| T: G Tutty| OR: 73

7/1

Arrives on a hat-trick after a pair of 1¼m Beveley wins in recent months. Has yet to prove his stamina for this far but he still merits plenty of respect as an in-from sort.

Form: 565311

(6)

Simple Star⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Jason Hart| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer| OR: 72| BF| CD

7/2

Won on C&D reappearance in May and followed up at Hamilton. Better than the result when second of 6 over this C&D last time, not getting in the clear until it was too late. Should give another good account.

Form: 727-112

(8)

Tendentious²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 69

14/1

Won over 2m at Doncaster last spring but more miss than hit since and ran poorly on 2m York reappearance 4 weeks ago. Down in trip. Others arrive with more pressing claims.

Form: 04208-7

(1)

A La Francaise²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: P Mulrennan| T: J S Goldie| OR: 68

10/3

Back to best when runner-up twice this summer and shaped as if still in form when 5½ lengths fifth of 10 to Gibside in handicap (5/1) at York (1½m, good to soft) 28 days ago. Another who can't be discounted.

Form: 9-89225

(2)

Can't Stop Now^h¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 8-11| J: Billy Garritty| T: I Jardine| OR: 63| C

18/1

Flat winner in last autumn. Also successful over hurdles at Musselburgh in March and he might have needed the outing after 4 months off when down the field on his return to the Flat at Hamilton (1m) 11 days ago.

Form: 0321-40

(7)

Smart Lass^p²²

Age: 8| Weight: 8-4| J: A Mullen| T: I Jardine| OR: 55| CD

14/1

Four-time C&D winner. Sixth of 8 in handicap at Hamilton (11f, good, 13/2) 22 days ago. Cheekpieces back on. Need to see more.

Form: 674366

Forecasts

A La Francaise (10/3), Simple Star (7/2), Fairmac (7/2), Gibside (11/2), Freak Out (7/1), Smart Lass (14/1), Tendentious (14/1), Can't Stop Now (18/1)

Quite an interesting opener. FAIRMAC has returned to the mark from which he won a competitive Sky Bet Sunday Series handicap over C&D at the end of April and can bounce back to form. Gibside, Freak Out and Simple Star all arrive at the top of their game and are feared most in that order.