Can red-hot duo Nicky Richards and Conor Rabbitt combine to get a frustrating horse's head back in front?

Nicky Richards and Conor Rabbitt are in terrific form individually and they team up to bid for more glory with Rickety Gate at Musselburgh on Thursday.

The trainer is operating at a 44 per cent strike-rate in the last fortnight, while conditional jockey Rabbitt also has a healthy 25 per cent strike-rate in that period. 

The duo will be represented by the eight-year-old in the concluding 3m handicap hurdle. Rickety Gate is already a course-and-distance winner, while he finished third on his seasonal reappearance over the track and trip earlier this month.

"He's been running consistently but not winning, which isn't really good enough at the moment," Richards said. "But Conor has had a few chances on him and now should know him to go well. He won't be too far away and I'm hoping for more from him."

Spotlight comment

Course-and-distance winner (good to soft) last autumn, when 2lb lower; not far off that level of form on his last two starts, including here latest; last two wins gained when racing prominently; each-way player.

Rickety Gate15:20 Musselburgh

View Racecard

Jky: Conor Rabbitt (5lb)Tnr: Nicky Richards

Richards will also be represented on the card by The Kalooki Kid in the opening 2m4f novice hurdle (11.55). The five-year-old finished third on his comeback at the track over 1m7½f.

He said: "He's in good form and I'm looking forward to getting him up quite a lot in trip now. I can see him running a very good race."

The Cumbrian trainer's highlight during his golden spell came when Famous Bridge provided him with a poignant victory in a handicap chase on Haydock's Betfair Chase card in the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings.

"His owner was a very determined man and he's got that too," Richards said. "He's a lovely horse and all of the horses that come from his family arrive in good nick. It's brilliant to have a good winner for them.

"He's come out of the race good and hasn't done a lot since. We'll just see how he takes it over the next couple of weeks and then make a plan."

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