Sunshine and showers was the weather, a fair amount of rain falling between the first and second races then during the third (more than enough to make the racecard that you're scribbling notes on very damp indeed, thank you very much). They changed the going to good to firm all over (there was a 'good in places' on the end of it) at 2:00, half an hour before first race time, but I fancy it might have had an effect on the ground for the second half of the card.

The least competitive race on the card was the opener, the 2m novices' hurdle, with various shapes and sizes on show among the field, including a gross object called Recoil who, listed as a colt, would be more at home as the head of the herd in a field of cows, given the way he wobbled all over. Fair play to him though, as he passed a couple of stragglers during the race to finish seventh. The best physical type was the fifth home Pontop, a medium-to-tallish, well made gelding who should do better over fences.

Caravel (medium, leggy, swished tail paddock, touched 4/7 in a place, SP 4/9), a Supreme Novices' Hurdle entry, was much the fittest of the field but was only workmanlike in victory, and presumably won't be going to Cheltenham; he had a bit to do to get to Casual Affair at the top of the straight but stayed on (jumped left two out) to lead at the last, veering right on the run-in but on top at the finish.

The stewards decided that Denis O'Regan had allowed his horse to drift right, causing minor interference to Casual Affair, and suspended him for March 15th-16th - a few years ago that would have been O'Regan out for two days of the Festival, but nowadays the rules are that suspensions don't include days on which there are Grade/Group 1 races.

Casual Affair (close-coupled, smallish, looked well and was bandaged in front, 5/1 to 8/1) belatedly confirmed his course form behind Red Moloney from two starts ago, leading four out till Caravel went on at the last, just beaten by a better horse, and can now run in handicaps; maybe something can be found for him at the Perth Festival in April, but his jumping needs to improve.

Speed Up was a failure in two recent chase starts, the probable reason for which is his build as he's a leggy, spindly thing, and returned to hurdles he ran his best race of the season in third, one-paced in the straight; he has the form to win a maiden hurdle, but has looked the winner then got beaten more than once before.

The 2m4f 0-110 handicap chase was a competitive one for the grade, several with claims of some sort. Johnny Roche (well made, 8/1 to 10/1), a winner over this course and distance last season but absent for 403 days and no longer owned by the Wylies, looked well in the paddock, raced in Howard Johnson's own colours and won with something in hand, leading early then staying close up when Za Beau went on, and in no danger when leading again three out; all his best form has been at Musselburgh and he's no certainty to run to his best again if kept on the go.

Categorical made a forward move on the last circuit but a couple of less-than-fluent jumps in the straight - also going into the back of Za Beau three out - did for him; he's only workmanlike in size. Guns And Butter (about medium, stocky) was at the back and started a move under Mrs Rose Dobbin on the last circuit, one-paced from three out, and might not confirm previous promise over fences, while last time out winner Za Beau (medium-to-tallish, 13/2 to 4/1), who made most and jumped slightly left throughout, was about to be swallowed up when making a mistake three out - more was expected from him, as he'd only gone up 3 lbs for that course-and-distance victory.

Next a £14,000-added 2m handicap hurdle, a 0-130 contest. Most looked fit and well, Calcutta Cup outstanding in appearance. The Scottish County Hurdle on February 1st looked to hold the key to this one beforehand, but it didn't pan out that way, the heavy shower during the race possibly affecting things.

Toshi (workmanlike, fit enough but rough in his coat) had form with Along The Nile when last seen out over hurdles in Autumn 2007 and confirmed that under a hold-up ride, making gradual headway on the back straight and one of two going better than anything else approaching two out, ridden out from the last, doing it well enough to suggest that he might be up for a follow-up.

Los Nadis (workmanlike, looked well) had been out of sorts, pulled up in the Scottish County, and returned to form from the proverbial nowhere to chase Toshi home, and the front-running handicap debutant Hazeldene (tall and lean) ran a career-best over hurdles, every chance when making a mistake at the last - he should win a hurdle, and also has the height to jump fences, over which he could be quite effective in the lower grades given his run style .

Joe Jo Star, a neat gelding who looked well, was produced to lead too early in the Scottish County, but new jockey Brian Hughes (taking over from Davy Condon) was getting it right when misfortune struck. He was the other, along with the winner, who was going better than the rest of the field in the straight but, unlike before, was having his effort delayed - a couple of lengths adrift of the first three - and was dressed up and ready to go when he as-good-as fell two out. Surely this one will crack it one day.

Calcutta Cup, medium, leggy and light-bodied, was the pick of the paddock but was disappointing, held up and beaten three out on his handicap debut; it can't be blamed on his jumping (has shown a tendency to make mistakes) nor his resolution (idles in front and nearly threw his last two wins through so doing), and maybe he resented having the rain in his face.

The 3m handicap hurdle was an interesting heat, with the multiple Flat winner at Musselburgh, Kyber, stepping up in trip and Festival King on the hattrick, but the two horses who dominated a 0-110 handicap over the c/d on January 21st figured in the finish again.

Percutant (two handlers, 7/2 to 11/4), only a neat, leggy gelding, looked best in terms of wellbeing and, despite a 9-lb rise for his defeat of Singhalongtasveer, beat that one again, but only after a less-than-smooth passage. Held up in rear on the inner, he threatened to duck out at the fifth and Graham Lee had to correct him, then he caught a bump from the blundering Rusty Red at the eighth. He continued to go well, got in touch by the home turn as he'd done before, challenged three out and, unlike then, led as early as two out, wandering under pressure but staying on once against the stands' side rail, flashing his tail when given reminders (clearly, he'd had his effort delayed and the whip wasn't used for his earlier win for a reason).

This one doesn't look anything like a weight-carrying chasing type, but he's had 11-7 and 11-8 on his back for his two wins. He could be in the 120s after this second Musselburgh victory, so it'll be interesting to see where he goes next.

Orang Outan (workmanlike) is a long time without a win but did well here, proving his stamina over this longer trip having always been in the first two, while Singhalongtasveer (workmanlike, deep-girthed) probably ran the same race as he did the time before, staying on well on the inner having been niggled along at the eighth, but may well go up again without winning, having raced off a too-high 115 here as it is.

Kyber (workmanlike, deep-girthed), who didn't look spot on for fitness, had a choice of entries at this meeting - the 2m handicap and this - and, ridden more positively than on his previous outing when he failed to give his running after being held up, might have been better off in the shorter race, having no more to give when the first three went past him at the third last. That might be it over hurdles for now, as he's more likely to appear at Musselburgh's Flat meetings on a regular basis.

The disappointment was Festival King (medium, workmanlike, has stringhalt), at 5/2 and 11/4 made favourite over Percutant. He'd been off for 75 days since his Catterick hurdles win and looked to me as though the run would put an edge on him (on his toes also), and that looks the case as he readily backed out of things with two to jump.

So to the 3m handicap chase for those rated 0-95, and the most popular result of the day.

The now 11-year-old Snowy, having run his best race for a while when third to Chrysander on the Scottish County Hurdle undercard, was stepped up to his minimum trip and warmed the hearts of a lot of people present as they shouted him home, going on five out and staying on as Stravaigin rallied. I'll be as white-haired as Snowy is one day, and if I possess a third of the fitness that he showed here, I'll be all right.

Stravaigin (medium, leggy) made a contribution to the Percutant-race in January by making some of the running and he was up there for most of this contest returned to fences, outpaced five out but rallying in the straight; the thing about this one, though, is that he's had various tactics used on him in his more recent races and he doesn't seem to be getting home in front. Shulmin (workmanlike) does win every now and again, as long as it's at Sedgefield, and, having done her best work late here in finishing third, could do something if found a 3m3f chase down Durham-way sometime soon.

Events in the preliminaries had an effect on the betting in the closing 2m National Hunt Flat Race, but in all probability had no bearing on the result.

Alvarado, a medium, leggy gelding who's a half-brother to Character Building, must have derived considerable benefit from his debut-second to Hunters Belt at Musselburgh, for he looked much fitter than that one for the rematch and was available at 13/8 and 7/4, then the fun started. The horse started to perform some sort of dressage act in front of the stands on the canter down, unshipping Denis O'Regan, then returned to the paddock exit and was caught. At this point some bookmakers went 2/1. Horse and rider were reunited, and had a helping hand to post courtesy of Graham Lee, riding Zero Six Zoo. Still Alvarado swished his tail and messed about, and with around a furlong to go to the start, broke away from his companion, bucking and threatening to bolt, and he was out to his starting price of 5/2.

To watch him in the race it was as though nothing had happened in the preliminaries. He challenged going best with two furlongs to run and was nudged out after leading inside the last. In the preliminaries, he looked a headcase. After the event I think this could be a fair prospect for next season, as I liked the way he did it in the end.

Hillview Boy (medium, workmanlike, 7/2 to 2/1 as the winner misbehaved), who'd been off the bridle from halfway when winning on his debut over c/d in December, ran about the same race, not looking like being a factor before turning up late in the day to give Alvarado a race, staying on well under pressure, while the next home Nick The Dreamer (leggy) was having his first run for Alan Swinbank and showed his first form, leading for most of the straight. Hunters Belt (about medium) beat Alvarado over c/d in January, but judged on paddock appearance (looked burly) can't have come on for the outing as much as his rival did, and was a disappointing fourth.

The recurring theme of the day was previous course form. Trainers have seemed to make return visits to Musselburgh with certain horses this term - Caravel, Johnny Roche and Percutant all became dual winners at the track on this card. It's probably ground-related, as everyone knows that you don't usually get soft going here. But this looks a tasty morsel of information to store in safe keeping for when Musselburgh resumes jumping on November 22nd - pay special attention to those who already have winning or placed form at the course to their name.

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© Roy Waterhouse
2009

'The Meal Deal'