Musselburgh only N.H. racing today

the weather in Scotland has not been nearly so bad as it has been further south and west, and the going at Musselburgh is officially good to soft. This means not only that we have decent fields and competitive racing, but that the heavy ground performers who have been cleaning up in recent weeks will no longer be at such an advantage. The best race of the day is the handicap hurdle at 16.50 CET, in which John Quinn saddles two interesting runners: top-weight Fisher (Dean Pratt) and Forced Family Fun (Brian Hughes), one of several 4yo´ s in the field. We much prefer the younger horse, as Fisher, previously trained in Ireland, has been off the track since Christmas 2012. Forced Family Fun was not much good on the flat, but has a real talent for hurdling and his Doncaster win last time was decent form. However he has little in hand of Figaro (Tim Vaughan/ Richard Johnson), who makes a long journey to run here and was also better on the flat; so was Honour System (John Ferguson/ Denis O´Regan), and his team should in any case take the novice hurdle at 15.10 with Fennell Bay, a multiple winner on the flat for Mark Johnston and an easy winner on his debut over sticks.
The handicap hurdle at 16.15 is another vefy tricky race and we expect the lighter weights to come out on top. Willie Amos has his string in great form and his Willie Hall (Brian Harding), a recent winner at Sedgefield (on heavy!) still looks well handicapped, but we prefer Jack Albert (Dianne Sayer/ Colm McCormack). Amos and Harding also have a chance at 15.40 with Briery Hill, but here we like Civil Unrest (James Ewart/ Dale Irving), who has won 4 of his last 5 races, two of them here, and can score again.


Betting forecast Musselburgh:
1. Race: Fozy Moss - Tears From Heaven - Debt To Society
2. Race: Fennell Bay - Plan Again - Martin Chuzzlewit
3. Race: Radio Nowhere - Civil Unrest - Brieryhill Boy
4. Race: Willie Hall - Pairc Na Leasa - Tweedo Paradiso
5. Race: Forced Family Fun - Town Mouse - Fisher
6. Race: Habbie Simpson - Golan Way - Beggar`s Velvet
7. Race: Nathans Pride - Hurricane Hollow - Apachee Prince