ITV continue following the Sunday Series this weekend, ensuring more live racing for viewers at home. This Sunday, the cameras go to Musselburgh, with a supporting race from Perth to boot. We have selections in every race, alongside 888sport‘s exclusive sign-up offer of Bet £10 and Claim £40 In Bet Bonuses.
Holloway Boy (3.45 Musselburgh) SP
Finn’s Charm is the only one of the three in this field who have raced to have made a substantial impact so far. However, even he found himself finishing third in a small field of five.
As such, it may be worth chancing the most intriguing debutant against him. Karl Burke tends to do well with his juveniles, operating at an 18% strike rate with them so far in 2022. His newcomer here is HOLLOWAY BOY who has ever chance of being useful and staying 7f on his first start.
A son of Ulysses, he was purchased for 60,000gns as a foal and as a yearling. There is speed on his dam’s side, which should counteract the stamina which appears more from his sire’s influence.
With Finn’s Charm not boasting exceptional form, there is every chance he will be susceptible to a decent one. Holloway Boy could well be that.
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Glenloe (4.01 Perth) SP
All credibility may be lost in tipping GLENLOE, who has not won since December 2016. That is a five-and-a-half year drought.
Not only that, but that success in a maiden hurdle is his only ever victory. He did lose by a nose in the 2018 Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival, but has otherwise been one of the most frustrating horses to follow in the game.
He has finished in the top five in 17 of his 21 starts, so he still wears his heart on his sleeve. Often, it has simply been a case of just one or two proving too good more than Glenloe not wanting to win.
Indeed, his last ten races have come in double-figure fields, often on big race days. Only twice has he raced in fields of less than ten. One of those provided his only success.
A mark of 129 saw him go close in Ireland back in December, so may well seem generous on these shores. His two main market rivals have made their money by mopping up weaker small-field events than this and perhaps Glenloe will finally have his day in this type of race.
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The Thin Blue Line (4.16 Musselburgh) 10/1
Course and distance winners abound in this contest, but top weight THE THIN BLUE LINE has been tremendously consistent since December 2021, a date from which he has been raced regularly.
In 12 starts since then, there have only been very occasional disappointments. Only once has he been beaten more than five lengths and that came when upped to 6f at York last time in a field of 21.
He has also won on three occasions, one of which was over track and trip off 4lb lower than his current mark. However, in three runs since that success, he has been a close third off 1lb higher than this race, as well as being beaten just over a length back at Musselburgh.
Only Spoofing and Primo’s Comet are not far behind in the pecking order, as this does look very competitive.
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Le Beau Garcon (4.45 Musselburgh) 11/2
The two least exposed horses head the market, but the fact that LE BEAU GARCON has won under a penalty shades him the vote over Sacred Jewel.
On RPRs, the selection is Michael & David Easterby’s highest performing two-year-old in the last five years, after successes at Beverley and Redcar followed a promising second on debut at Catterick. His first success was achieved in cosy fashion, while he carried a 7lb winner’s penalty to glory next time out.
He will be making his seasonal reappearance here, which could make things trickier, while he is conceding 6lb to Julie Camacho’s charge. Sacred Jewel won very well on her recent stable debut in first-time headgear, but that was not a strong race.
A mark of 81 for Le Beau Garcon looks to have underestimated him, as he could easily take higher rank in handicaps.
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Evaluation (5.15 Musselburgh) 4/1
Quite simply, EVALUATION is the horse on a roll in this race and had a fair few in this field behind him at York last time.
Keith Dalgliesh’s four-year-old has already won three in a row between 1m6f and 2m, finishing noticeably strongly last time out. 2m on turf looks to have been ideal for him the last twice and has seen him reach a mark in the 80s.
He is a rare horse to have left Sir Michael Stoute ahead of a campaign at four. However, the change of scenery has clearly worked wonders and his performance last time suggested there could be more in the locker.
Even adjusting for their new ratings, there does not seem too much reason that any opposing rivals will reverse the form with Evaluation.
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Eidikos (5.45 Musselburgh) 15/2
Pearl Glory went close in Group 3 company last time, but that did not look a genuine race for that level. Even accounting for the drop to Listed company, there may be better value elsewhere.
Of particular interest is EIDIKOS, who stepped forward on her two-year-old form when reappearing at York recently. She had a decent second to Perfect News in a nursery event last season over this trip of 7f before soft ground proved too deep in Listed company at Newbury.
However, she still managed to finish fourth that day, and went much closer latest. Running in a Listed race once again, she was fourth again, but beaten fewer than four lengths in a field full of progressive types. Similarly, she would have been closer to victory but for her fading in the final furlong of that 1m contest.
The step back to 7f looks ideal, and this race does not look anywhere near as strong as that one. It would be disappointing were she not to get closer.
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Gometra Ginty (6.15 Musselburgh) 10/1
The nine-year-old Tommy G is quite tempting after a mini-revival in his career recently, but GOMETRA GINTY has won five times at Musselburgh and is now down to a very tempting mark.
She is 5lb below her last winning rating of 80, which came at this track over 1m. However, her last win prior to that came over course and distance off this mark, and unusually for Musselburgh, there are not a great deal of previous track winners in this field.
The reason for her price, which looks massive in the context of the aforementioned, is because of her very poor efforts this season. She was last of ten over track and trip on return, before also being last at Chester. That said, those were both fields in which she could not dominate from the front, as she customarily does when running well.
There was more to like about her run at York last time out, which served to drop her to this mark of 75. Better is expected soon and she returns to a scene where that is distinctly possible.
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Zuraig (6.45 Musselburgh) 16/1
ITV’s viewers will not be complaining about a lack of competitive racing, as this is another race with an extremely open market.
A dart is thrown at ZURAIG for Iain Jardine, who joined the yard from Andrew Balding in February. Initially he went over hurdles for the yard, without matching his efforts on the flat for his former handler, though he did manage a decent enough third at Perth in April.
Back on the flat, he was a big price at Hamilton, and without getting himself in serious contention, it was not a terrible performance, and he could easily come on for that. He was very competitive for Balding off marks higher than his new one of 80 for Jardine.
This step up to 1m4½f looks to be a positive and if recapturing even a little of his old time, he can challenge for success here.
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ITV Sunday Series Selections
Holloway Boy (3.45 Musselburgh) SP
Glenloe (4.01 Perth) SP
The Thin Blue Line (4.16 Musselburgh) 10/1
Le Beau Garcon (4.45 Musselburgh) 11/2
Evaluation (5.15 Musselburgh) 4/1
Eidikos (5.45 Musselburgh) 15/2
Gometra Ginty (6.15 Musselburgh) 10/1
Zuraig (6.45 Musselburgh) 16/1
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