'He should have a very good chance' - Tim Easterby keen on Danzan's prospects

Sunday: 6.15 Musselburgh
Sky Bet Sunday Series Handicap | 7f | 3yo+ | ITV4/RTV

Over seven furlongs at Musselburgh, runners have less than two furlongs to get organised before the bend, which is tight and tends to have almost a slingshot effect into the straight. Which is one way of saying that prominent racers are favoured and you should probably expect to see an early clamour for position in this handicap.

That there is quite a lot of pace among those in the lower-numbered stalls here only makes that more likely. Fred (stall five) is generally a front-runner, Coase (three) is generally up there, while Be Proud (one) has been showing loads of pace over shorter and won over five furlongs at Ayr last month. I Am A Dreamer also has sprint-race speed, but from stall eight will evidently need to break especially smartly.

It certainly seems as though Lion Tower will have to settle for being further back than usual. He generally mixes his time between seven furlongs and a mile and, moreover, is drawn in stall 11 of 12. While he can be said to be in the form of his life, after being reeled in late over a stiff mile at Carlisle last time, circumstances have not dropped favourably for him.

Things look to have fallen more kindly for Danzan on his belated return to seven furlongs. He has been a sprinter basically since he failed to stay in the Acomb four years ago, but has been shaping of late as though a return to this sort of trip is worth exploring.

He has also been mixing it in better races. He was second in a Class 2 at York in May and ran perfectly well when fourth there on John Smith's Cup day. He will break from stall seven and should get to take his customary position behind the early pace. If that is as strong as expected, he can have no excuses.
Keith Melrose, betting editor

What they say

Tim Easterby, trainer of Danzan
He should have a very good chance. We've not run him over this trip but he does stay this far and good ground will help. It's great prize-money and worth targeting.

Grant Tuer, trainer of Lion Tower
I'd have preferred to run him over a mile but as soon as this card came out I was keen to target as many races as possible with the prize-money being so good. He showed plenty of speed at Carlisle last time, though, and the form has worked out well. He's not got the best draw [stall 11] but we'll ride him prominently and he should take some beating.

Lion Tower: 'we'll ride him prominently and he should take some beating'Credit: Grossick Racing

Paul Midgley, trainer of I Am A Dreamer
He's in good form and we've saved him for this race. Seven furlongs is fine for him and he's pretty solid, but the draw [stall eight] could have been a bit kinder. He's on a mark where he can win.

Jim Goldie, trainer of Be Proud
He's well drawn [stall one]. This trip possibly stretches him a bit but he's run well there before. He's a big player.

David O'Meara, trainer of Coase
We think the step up to seven furlongs will suit him well and he'd like a bit of cut in the ground.

Phillip Makin, trainer of Fennaan
He should come on for his first run back and is down to a mark off which he should be dangerous. He's a hold-up horse so will need things to drop right.
Reporting by Jack Haynes

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