Upandatit on the hitlist for Monday
Back Upandatit @ BSP in the 14:45 at Musselburgh
Our focus for Monday is north of the border at Musselburgh with a few interesting races, and it's easy to swerve the Wolverhampton card where they stage possibly one of the worst maidens ever at the track at 16:30 on the all-weather evening. One horse in that is rated a mere 26. I must be rated 25.
We take in the Go North Red Rum Series at 14:45 and Upandatit looks ready to go up in distance and tries 3m for the first time today - and it should suit.
There's a Velka Pardubicka winner in his pedigree and also a German 3m+ scorer.
He certainly shaped that way trying fences for the first time at Ayr over 2m4f behind the 121-rated African Dance of Olly Murphy. He showed his first real bit of ability having performed reasonably well in a couple of Kelso runs last term over hurdles. That was also his first run of the season so he should be able to improve on that.
His trainer Nick Alexander enjoyed a big day with Clan Legend at Aintree on Saturday and he looks off a fair mark.
Diamond can sparkle on Monday
Back Diamond State @ 3/1 in the 15:15 at Musselburgh
Trainer Lucinda Russell may only have an 11% strike-rate at Musselburgh which lags behind the likes of Keith Dalgleish and the 'Dapper Don' Don McCain, but she has sent out 262 runners in the past five years, which is significantly more than some of her rivals. However, her hit-rate of late has been impressive and with a second for the yard yesterday in Rowdy Rustler, we can go one better with Diamond State.
He hacked up last time over 2m at the track with a much-improved effort when winning by 8L. His previous runs the season before was a series of efforts where he seemed to be getting the hang of things. The 7yo ran in a valuable contest in Scotland last March and finished a well beaten fourth behind Iolani, but he probably came from a bit too far back and seemed to be outpaced.
His habit of making mistakes late on thankfully didn't manifest last time in the victory and he was a first winner for Edinburgh-based conditional Conner McCann. He delivered the horse and carried out the riding instructions to a tee and the experience of riding a few on the Flat at the track has benefitted him.
It's great the young pony-racing recruit has kept the ride with his 10lb claim, and with only two mounts in his light career, he has a first and second to his name.
The horse looks ready for the step up in trip today.