Musselburgh 3.35 - Handicap Class 2 - 1 mile 6 furlongs - 14 run - Good to Soft

 

When looking at this race I soon decided that ALIGN THE STARS at anything 3/1 or higher was cracking win value and I have no doubts in putting it up here as a win bet. It's had the advantage of a run already and really should be beating these with luck in running.

 

Wild Waves could be a progressive horse this year and should win races at some point, Almeric might be vulnerable at the trip and with any softening of the ground and will probably need the run too to be 100% sharp and Chillingham can never be discounted in this grade but is also likely to benefit from the run today. Wise Eagle who has been hurdling was my 4th best rated and Kihavah is a dangerous one lurking at a nice price.

 

My 2nd and 3rd best rated purely on merit are STRUTH who won fresh in 2023, has battled the handicapper for a long time but has finally come back to almost that winning mark and, LA PULGA who also won fresh last season starts off a decent, if not great mark , and strikes me as one who can place at least here. STRUTH and LA PULGA are drawn highest in 14. and lowest in 1 respectively and I have every confidence in them. 

 

The added fact that all 3 are trained by Charlie Johnson is an interesting coincidence that didn't frame my decision making but adds a further degree of confidence in hindsight (Northern)

 

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Huntingdon 1.54 - Novice Handicap Hurdle - Class 5 - 2 miles 4 and 1/2 furlongs - 16 run - Good

 

There are 5 horses in here at 7/1 or lower, Rip Wheeler is favourite and takes a drop in Class after some disappointing form, Strolling Along runs for the Skeltons but is basically a disappointing maiden so far, Bells Of Ufford was runner up last time at Chepstow a very different track to this, Jaxonne was pulled up here 3 runs back, has a sole win at Ludlow, a similar track in some ways to this, but is 9lbs above that win mark and disappointing overall and Klapton Boy has shown some promise but n more than that. The winner is I would suggest 80% likely to come from those 5, but which one and at what actual value is a question I can't answer, so I'll look elsewhere at more speculative value.

 

Casting Aspersions may yet fire for Fergal O'Brien, many do for him that won't for others and Indian Sunbird may need the run here on past evidence but i've added to the new summer NH Tracker (more on that soon) as a probable summer weather.

 

I do think that both MISS APPLEJACK who has shown before it can run prominently and well from the front, an ideal ractic here and who is on a very tantalising mark with a 7lbs Claimer up and JAILBIRD who was 3rd at 50/1 on penultimate run here, easily its best form, are attractively priced and if anything is going to crack the top 4 from lower down the market, I'm confident it could be one or both of these. (The Advisor)

 

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Robin thinks there is very solid and backable each way value in, LE MILOS who is arguably in calmer waters in the 3.15 at Haydock and DEEP STRATO whose form may be better than bare results suggest and who could run a place at nice Odds in the 2.17 at Carlisle