There are four Go North Series Final races from Musselburgh on Friday. A key series in one of jumps racing’s most important, traditional locations, we’ve picked out a selection in each of the five Go North races, alongside William Hill‘s new customer offer, where you can get £30 in Free Bets when you bet £10.
INCA PRINCE (1:45 Musselburgh) 11/2
While there are many coming in here off the back of a victory, the highest heights have been reached by INCA PRINCE who is forgiven his last performance.
He went off favourite for a Listed contest over two furlongs shorter at this track last month. However, Brian Hughes would probably admit it was not his finest hour, for while Ruth Jefferson’s juvenile has been a free-racing front-runner since his debut for the yard, he set an unsustainably strong gallop.
Ultimately, he was comfortably overcome by Nicky Henderson’s useful Impulsive One. However, he had been a comfortable winner under a penalty over that same course and distance the time before, when also racing quite keenly.
If Jamie Hamilton, the rider on board for his two victories, can settle Inca Prince, then he should easily stay the extra two furlongs given how he has hit the line in the past. He may prove one of the class acts on show.
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ZAMOND (2:20 Musselburgh) 10/1
The second race of the Go North Series Finals is a very competitive handicap hurdle. You can get 5/1 the field here.
Donald McCain, whose yard are operating at a freakish 31% strike rate in the last two weeks, looks set to have six runners on the card, and ZAMOND is worth an interest here. He has found life challenging since joining McCain from Colin Bowe’s in Ireland, but there is reason to believe he can come good soon.
Two starts back, he was third only behind two clear favourites at Sedgefield, while most who ran on at Catterick last time came down the centre of the straight Zamond was stuck on the inside. That was also over an extended trip on soft ground.
His one big handicap win in Ireland came over almost exactly this distance on a sound surface and he has been dropped a total of 7lb for his latest two runs. That seems too much given there was potential in both and Brian Hughes’ booking is one with intent.
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WYNFORD (2:55 Musselburgh) 15/2
Rebecca Menzies’ yard continues to soar. Her three winners in the last week have come from her last six horses sent out and her 14% seasonal strike rate is her joint highest since taking out a licence.
WYNFORD won three times on the flat for Menzies last summer and autumn, proving a reliable stayer in handicaps over two miles and further. For good measure, he had also won a handicap hurdle at Market Rasen in July.
Since returning to obstacles, he has posted two third placed finishes, though the last came on soft ground after a layoff. This would not have been ideal, but he shaped well enough and that should have returned abit of his racing edge.
The return to a sounder surface should suit him well and he is down 1lb for that effort too. There are fewer more reliable trainers on current form and Wynford looks primed to go close.
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ISLAND MAHEE (3:30 Musselburgh) 9/1
Irish runners in British handicaps may continue to have the upper hand after four successes at Cheltenham and one more in the Midlands National last Saturday.
Simon Crawford’s ISLAND MAHEE won this race a year ago, her last start over course and distance. The manner in which she did so was impressive and though she has failed to win since, there have been near-misses and excuses.
She was third back in her home country at Cork just a week after that success, while she has been runner-up on two occasions at Perth since. Her last two handicap efforts have been poor, but on the first of those she may have been turned out again too quickly, while the latter came on unsuitably soft ground after a 162-day break.
The British handicapper has been generous, easing her 3lb for that last start, but she loved it here a year ago and a 7lb rise for that success would not have seemed harsh at the time.
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GARDE DES CHAMPS (4:05 Musselburgh) 3/1
The novices’ handicap, the last of the Go North races on the card, may have a very lowly-rated danger in Hold Onto The Line.
However, top weight GARDE DES CHAMPS not only went close in Ireland on his hurdles debut at Kilbeggan last summer, but did so again on his debut for Keith Dalgliesh in December. That came over course and distance and the heavy odds-on winner won in handicap company on his next start.
That rival, Thunder Rock, is now rated 128, 18lb above this six-year-old, but on their clash, there possibly is not that much in it. Moreover, Garde Des Champs’ mark might have been higher but for fluffing his lines on soft in January.
There are comfortable excuses for the level of that performance and the wind surgery he has had since should see him in a much better light here.
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