14:25 Musselburgh

Saturday 30 March 2024

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:2017:50

Virgin Bet Silver Arrow Handicap

(9)

Poet Master¹⁹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: S H James| T: K R Burke| OR: 100| CD

Made it 3 wins from only 4 starts when comfortable winner of a 7f handicap at the Doncaster St Leger meeting in September. The handicapper hasn't missed him with an 8 lb rise but surprise if this lightly-raced sort doesn't have more to offer.

Form: 1181-

(3)

Gweedore¹⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: William Pyle⁽⁵⁾| T: K Scott| OR: 100| CD

Very useful front-runner who is seeking a hat-trick of wins in this race. Yet to win from his current triple-figure breaking but should still go well.

Form: 973734-

(2)

Boardman¹⁸²

Age: 8| Weight: 9-3| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 96| D

Added to his excellent Chester record with a 7.5f win last May. Below par later in 2023 but that has resulted in him dropping back to favourable mark. Got to be a chance he'll need this first run back, though.

Form: 157008-

(4)

Darkness^v¹⁶⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 8-11| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 90| D

Ran up to best in change of headgear when opening account for this yard at Newmarket (1m) last July. Also good fourth in the very competitive Golden Mile at Goodwood last summer. Ran well on last year's reappearance.

Form: 140035-

(7)

Abduction¹⁵⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 8-10| J: S A Gray| T: J S Goldie| OR: 89| D

Rounded of 2023 with a 7f Wolverhampton win in October but he needed the run when only sixth of 11 in this 12 months ago and might be a similar story again.

Form: 260421-

(1)

Redarna^p¹⁶⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 8-10| J: Cam Hardie| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer| OR: 89| D

Back to form with a bang at Carlisle (7f) in August. Retreated into his shell again in the autumn and remains 3 lb above that successful mark on reappearance.

Form: 069160-

(5)

Zip^v⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 8-9| J: Tyler Heard⁽³⁾| T: R A Fahey| OR: 88| CD

C&D winner. Three wins from 13 runs last year. Respectable fourth of 14 in handicap (13/2) at Doncaster (6f, soft) last Sunday. Return to 7f ideal and enters the reckoning.

Form: 53-5564

(6)

Love De Vega²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: Jason Hart| T: C Johnston| OR: 88| CD

Won twice over 7f at Chelmsford this year. Shaped as if still in form (met trouble) when seventh of 13 at Newcastle (7f) latest. Equally as effective on turf (former C&D winner).

Form: 215317

Non-Runners

(8)

Northern Express¹⁶⁹

Weight: 9-9| Age: 6

T: M Dods J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Poet Master (2/1), Gweedore (7/2), Northern Express (4/1), Love De Vega (6/1), Zip (8/1), Abduction (8/1), Boardman (8/1), Darkness (8/1), Redarna (20/1)

There's surely more to come from the lightly-raced POET MASTER who can take the next step up the ladder on his return. The likeable Northern Express returns off the same mark as when runner-up in a competitive York handicap on his final start last year and is second choice ahead of Gweedore, who is bidding for a third successive win in this race.