2.03 Musselburgh: which trainer is making a long journey with high hopes?

The Edinburgh National continues the theme from last week, in that virtually all major staying handicap chases from here on can be treated as spring races.

In just five runnings (52 runners) this race has produced horses who on their next starts won the Kim Muir, Scottish National and at Cheltenham's April meeting.

This year's topweight Slipaway is rated 10lb below the race's ceiling rating of 150, but that is fairly typical in the Edinburgh National and there are plenty with the potential to become smart handicappers.

He is very much one of them, having run out a convincing winner of two other regional Nationals at tight tracks (Perth's Highland National and the Southern National at Fontwell) on his last two starts.

He could be aimed at the Grand National but will likely need to go up a few more pounds in the weights to make the cut for Aintree.

Another who was impressive in a provincial National last time was Flower Of Scotland, who took the Borders National for Sandy Thomson. Her trainer makes no secret of aiming horses at that race and he does the same for the Scottish National. His other two runners in this field, The Ferry Master and Doyen Breed, could both be bound for Ayr after this.

Competing with these improvers are some extremely well-handicapped and established types. Truckers Lodge has been dropped again for his distant fourth in the Welsh National, although if he is too slow for Chepstow these days, then Musselburgh may not be his track.

The Wolf, who was second to Captain Cattisock off a higher mark in this race last year, makes a bit more appeal. He is unquestionably a bad jumper, but Musselburgh poses less of a jumping test than most tracks he races at and the addition of blinkers may help him to focus.
Race analysis by Keith Melrose

Salute the Captain 

Always take Fergal O'Brien seriously in Scotland. He doesn't make the long haul up from Gloucestershire because he likes the shortbread.

The trainer's 201 runners at the four jumps tracks north of the border have earned nearly £500,000 in prize-money, with 57 returning as winners, a strike-rate of nearly three in ten.

He is four from 16 at Musselburgh, where Captain Cattistock was a game winner of this 3m7½f showpiece last year and the ten-year-old makes the 350-mile trip north again this weekend, having run twice over shorter trips closer to home at Cheltenham this season.

Fergal O'Brien: has a good strike-rate in ScotlandCredit: Edward Whitaker

O'Brien said: "He's in good form and we're very happy with him. He was a little bit disappointing last time and he didn't really finish his race off, but the horses probably weren't in the best of form coming into that.

"We're looking forward to running him. The race has a bit more strength in depth this year but he seems to like it round there and Liam Harrison gets on very well with him. So fingers crossed he can go close again."

What they say

Ben Pauling, trainer of Slipway
He's in really good form and won the Highland National and Sussex National nicely. He has top weight but he's improving and I'm looking forward to seeing him out again. The track and trip will be fine and the ground is spot on. The Grand National is on our minds. He stays very well, jumps brilliantly and is an improving young horse. Depending on how well this goes, he'll probably have an entry and we'll see where we are.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Truckers Lodge
He ran well in the Welsh National and is down in grade. A lot of his form has been on testing ground but good to soft will be perfect for him. He's become a bit more sensibly handicapped and has the right trip.

Sandy Thomson, trainer of Doyen Breed, Flower Of Scotland and The Ferry Master
Flower Of Scotland is a wonderful mare and her latest outing when winning the Scottish Borders National by six lengths was a great effort. Clearly she stays very well. Hopefully, she can continue in the form she's shown this season. Doyen Breed was great last year. We gave him a run around over hurdles and he's in grand form. The Ferry Master has been disappointing since his fourth in the 2021 Scottish National but he seemed much happier last time out at Musselburgh. If he's ever going to get a long distance it will be around there.

Olly Murphy, trainer of The Wolf
He’s an enigma. He has loads of ability and we're putting on blinkers for the first time. If they can help him to get into a rhythm, he's well capable of running well.

Paul Robson, trainer of Just Don't Know
He has a cracking each-way chance. He has to improve to win it but Craig Nichol knows him well, he's got a great weight and he's got his ground for the first time this season.
Reporting by David Carr

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