'We'll be disappointed if he's not competitive' - who expects a bold showing?

Monday: 2.40 Musselburgh
100% Racing TV Profits Back To Racing Handicap Hurdle | 3m | 4yo+ | RTV

There are three course winners in action headed by Coolbane Boy, who landed a 3m handicap hurdle on good to soft ground at the track in January.

He is 2lb higher in the weights this time, but still has relatively low mileage for Sandy Thomson and looks a serious player.

Latino Fling, a Musselburgh winner over 2m4f in March, has been admirably progressive this year, but might just need this return from a short break.

Her stablemate Zafar, who won at the track over 2m4f on soft ground in January, makes more appeal, judged on an attractive handicap mark and the fact that he remains unexposed at staying trips.

He gives the impression 3m around Musselburgh will prove ideal, and is 3lb lower than his last winning mark.

Court Dreaming has developed into a highly effective hurdler/chaser, who somehow managed to turn what looked certain defeat into last-gasp victory over fences at Carlisle in October.

Good ground is perfect for Court Dreaming, and it’s likely that race had been his major target for some time. He is now 3lb higher and looks opposable on what is certain to be a much slower surface.

Schalke reverts to hurdles after failing to cut much ice on his chasing debut at Market Rasen last month.

The winner of that race, Harry Du Berlais, did little for the form when well beaten behind Aire Valley Lad at Wetherby on Saturday, but Schalke, twice a winner over hurdles last season, should not be written off.
Race analysis by Richard Birch

What they say

Lucinda Russell, trainer of Mighty Thunder
He’s been a bit out of form over fences, so we’re freshening him up by putting him back over hurdles. We know he likes Musselburgh, so hopefully he can bounce back to form.

Sandy Thomson, trainer of Coolbane Boy
He’s won there before, so we know he likes the track. The ground should be fine for him but it looks a competitive race despite the small field.

Rebecca Menzies, trainer of Schalke
We ran him back over fences at Market Rasen where Conor O’Farrell got a good tune out of him, and most of ours come on for their first run back. He’ll enjoy the ground and hopefully he can get a piece of the prize-money.

Nicky Richards, trainer of Court Dreaming
We took him out of a race there last time as the ground went soft, which he doesn’t like, so hopefully the ground will be quicker than that. He seems in a good place at home and we’ll be disappointed if he’s not competitive.
Reporting by David Milnes

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