Timeform UK SmartPlays: Monday September 16

We start at the upper extreme in terms of trip today before dropping back. The two-mile handicap at 15:10 contains a fair concentration of interesting sorts, but none more so than Hit The Jackpot. A useful sort for Dermot Weld deemed good enough to be tried in both the Ballysax and the Derrinstown, Hit The Jackpot initially struggled for David O'Meara. As we know that's very much the exception rather than the rule, but a drop of over 20 lbs in the weights has ensued and he suggested he's ready to belatedly take advantage upped to this trip at York last time. Still on the same mark and in a slightly less competitive heat this time, Hit The Jackpot is fancied to continue his recovery today.

The following nursery (15:40) takes place over Musselburgh's five-furlong course, which is renowned for its emphasis on speed. Keith Dalgleish initially held a particularly strong hand, with Kirtling Belle and Kano's Ghirl both holding strong claims. Though Kirtling Belle is now out, it's still thought that Dalgleish can take this contest. Kano's Ghirl is already a C&D winner, albeit in selling company, and showed she had the requisite speed when arguably going off too quickly the time before. She's since been third in a claimer at Wolverhampton and, back at the scene of her only success to date, heads the shortlist.

We stick to the five-furlong course for today's final SmartPlay, specifically the older-horse handicap at 16:40. In contrast to our first selection, Our Diane has recently left David O'Meara, but she's joined Richard Fahey, which can hardly be taken as a negative. Indeed, she put up a fine effort to finish second at Newcastle on her first outing for Fahey. Not for the first time, Our Diane was a little too free for her own good on that occasion, just suffering in the finish as a result. This speedier track, ideally combined with a more prominent early position, could make the difference to the well-handicapped Our Diane today.

Timeform UK SmartPlays
All at Musselburgh

Back Hit The Jackpot @ 4.67/2 in the 15:10
Back Kano's Ghirl @ 5.95/1 in the 15:40
Back Our Diane @ 5.95/1 in the 16:40

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