Big money up for grabs and plenty of opportunities for punters as Racing Post Go North Finals Weekend kicks off at Musselburgh

The three-day Racing Post Go North Finals Weekend starts at Musselburgh on Friday with four £30,000 series finals up for grabs and ample betting opportunities for punters.

The initiative, designed to give meaningful end-of-season targets for horses rated just below the top level and showcase jump racing in the north, has had a positive impact since being introduced in 2020.

Musselburgh kicks things off with a seven-race card starting at 4.30, which has attracted 77 declarations predominantly from the north.

The series finals, each named after an equine star from the region such as Red Rum, Sea Pigeon and Monet's Garden, provide the focal point with, in many cases, connections planning an entire season around them.

Three of last year's final winners at Musselburgh are back for more with Lone Star (2m4f mares' hurdle), Curley Finger (3m handicap hurdle) and Cuban Cigar (2m1½f handicap hurdle) looking to add to their riches.

The weekend, which also includes Kelso on Saturday and Carlisle on Sunday, has been described as an equivalent to the Cheltenham Festival by some of the north's smaller trainers, such is the importance of having a realistic chance of winning a valuable prize.

Lucinda Russell might have one eye on bigger targets at Aintree next week, but she dispatches a typically strong team to Musselburgh, while fellow Grand National-winning trainer Emmet Mullins sends over two runners from Ireland for races outside of the series finals. 

Musselburgh lost last Saturday's Flat season opener to the wet weather, but no problems are anticipated at the course. However, Kelso has been forced into calling an inspection on Friday morning for Saturday, while the ground at Carlisle for Sunday's meeting was described as heavy, soft in places on Thursday with more rain forecast.

The famous names in Friday's race titles

Lady Buttons

Lady Buttons was a remarkable jumps mare, trained in Yorkshire by Phil Kirby. She was a 15-time winner between 2013 and 2020 and landed five Listed races and back-to-back runnings of the Grade 2 Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle at Doncaster.

The Grey Bomber

The Grey Bomber won five times in 1982-83 and was favourite for the Triumph Hurdle only to lose his life when he was electrocuted in a freak accident at Denys Smith’s yard in Bishop Auckland.

Brindisi Breeze

Brindisi Breeze looked very promising when giving Lucinda Russell her first Cheltenham Festival success in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle in 2012 but within a few months he had been killed on the roads near her Kinross yard and jockey Campbell Gillies had died in an accident while on holiday in Corfu.

Sea Pigeon

Sea Pigeon was one of the greatest dual-purpose horses of the 20th century, winning two Chester Cups and an Ebor on the Flat in the late 1970s before giving North Yorkshire trainer Peter Easterby the last two of his then record five Champion Hurdle victories in 1980 and 1981.
David Carr

Read these next:

Three things to note: a pointer to £100,000 final, Phil Kirby eyeing Musselburgh repeat and Boodles runners back in action  

'This has been the aim this season' - which leading northern trainer hopes to deny two four-timers in Musselburgh highlight?  

'He's the fastest horse we've got at the yard' - quotes and analysis for a competitive Go North final  

Do you want £700+ of free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.