18:10 Musselburgh

Friday 5 April 2024

All16:3017:0517:4018:1018:4019:1019:40

Go North Brindisi Breeze Hurdle Series Final (Handicap Hurdle) (GBB Race)

Off time: 18:13 | Winning time: 6m 24.90s

Curley Finger^p,t³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Nathan Moscrop| T: R Menzies| OR: 125| CD

9/2

Won this race 12 months ago and arrives in even better form this time, completing a hat trick when just clinging on at Doncaster (3m, heavy) last month. A further 5 lb rise demands more but can't rule out in his current mood.

Form: 4P9111

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Champ Royal^p,t³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Sam Coltherd| T: S Corbett| OR: 113| CD

8/1

Made it 5 wins in only 7 starts for this yard when easily disposing of his 2 rivals over 25 at Catterick last month. 6 lb higher in a much deeper race now so he'll need a career best to keep the winning run going.

Form: 167111

Velasco^p,t²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Edward Austin⁽⁵⁾| T: S Corbett| OR: 111| D

10/1

Won handicaps at Sedgefield and Doncaster (3m) in February/recently. Possibly found run coming too soon when pulled up on hat-trick attempt at Doncaster and could bounce back having been freshened up.

Form: 34711P

Call Me Harry⁴⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Danny McMenamin| T: I Jardine| OR: 111| CD

11/2

Goes well at this track (C&D scorer in November). Shaped as if still in form when fourth of 8 over C&D in February and capable of a bold show here.

Form: 421U24

Jem In Em^b,t⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 109

4/1

Bumper winner who confirmed previous encouragement in this sphere when scoring at Kelso in October. Respectable fourth on next 2 starts and reacted well to blinkers (travelled with more fluency) when narrowly denied over C&D 47 days ago. Big player if the blinkers work as well a second time.

Form: 6-31442

Cardamon Hill⁴⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Henry Brooke| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer| OR: 107

14/1

Maiden hurdle winner in Ireland for Gordon Elliott. Has yet to really get going for this yard but there were better signs when third of 8 over C&D last month, although the reopposing Jem In Em was 12 lengths ahead in second.

Form: 355P03

Not Staying Long²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: B S Hughes| T: R M Smith| OR: 104| D

8/1

Left her first 3 efforts for this yard behind when making all in 3m Ayr handicap under Brian Hughes in February. Respectable fourth over a shorter trip there since. Hughes does the steering again now back at 3m.

Form: 1-P4314

Lincoln Burrows^p³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: G Sheehan| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 94

15/2

Justified support in first-time cheekpieces when seeing off 10 rivals at Newcastle in January but jumped poorly and always behind at Catterick since. 5 lb out of handicap.

Form: P87317

Dequall^p²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Sean Quinlan| T: W Coltherd| OR: 77

66/1

Eighteen runs since last win in 2021. Respectable third on Kelso reappearance in October but well beaten since. It's not hard to look elsewhere.

Form: 3/38589

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to all bets - deduction 10p in the pound

Non-Runners

Sanosuke²⁷

Weight: 10-2| Age: 6

T: N W Alexander J: Bruce Lynn

Rumble B¹⁴

Weight: 10-2| Age: 10

T: Justin Landy J: Sean Quinlan

Forecasts

Jem In Em (4/1), Curley Finger (9/2), Call Me Harry (11/2), Lincoln Burrows (15/2), Sanosuke (15/2), Champ Royal (8/1), Not Staying Long (8/1), Velasco (10/1), Cardamon Hill (14/1), Rumble B (16/1), Dequall (66/1)

The blinkers worked well for JEM IN EM when narrowly denied over C&D last time and he might prove the answer to this competitive handicap if the headgear continues to have a positive effect. Last year's winner Curley Finger arrives at the top of his game again and is second choice ahead of Call Me Harry.