Flat racing at Musselburgh and Cork

the only flat racing in the U.K. today is at Musselburgh, and Richard Fahey and Paul Hanagan, who have made such an excellent start to the season, once again look the team to follow. They can win the main event, the grandly-named Musselburgh Gold Cup, a handicap over 1 3/4 miles at 16.50 CET, with Prince Picasso, who scored at Wolverhampton last time on his first try at this trip. Several of these have been running on the all-weather, and Veloso (Jeremy Glover/ Freddie Tylicki), who has won twice at Southwell this year after missing all of 2008, looks the main danger. Another to have missed all of last year is Haigh Hall (Fahey/ Hanagan), who looked a promising 2yo before an injury and has not run for almost 2 years. She runs in the 5 furlongs handicap at 15.50 and if back to form (surely no problem the way the stable´s horses have been running) looks the one to beat off this handicap mark. The Fahey/ Hanagan team also have good chances of taking the 7 furlongs maiden at 16.2 0 wth Jack o´Lantern (third at Doncaster in October on his only start so far) and the handicap over the same trip at 17.20 with She´s in the Money, who was runner-up over a mile here when last seen in September and is probably better suited by this distance.

At Cork there is a mixed meeting, with 5 flat races followed by 3 over fences. Dermot Weld and his stable jockey Pat Smullen, look the team to follow on the flat. They can take the main event, a 10 furlongs handicap at 17.15 with Art Broker and also the 3yo maidens at 15.45 and 16.15 with Anaverna and Legendary Lad respectively. Best race over jumps is the listed chase over 3 miles at 17.45 which should go to Aran Concerto (Noel Meade/ Emmet Mullins). Follow the Plan (Oliver McKiernan/ Keith Coleman) has been off since the 2009 Cheltenham Festival but could be a big problem if back to his best.