Carlisle on Monday with Maid of Houxty - MORNING UPDATE : MEETING ABANDONED

Bill and Carol Aitchison's home-bred mare Maid Of Houxty makes her hurdling debut tomorrow at Carlisle over 2m 3½f in a Mares Only novice hurdle.

The mare will most definitely be suited by this jumping test more so than on her initial run in a bumper. She has schooled well so although this an early stage in her career, we'd be hoping for a nice run in the knowledge that she'd be sure to improve over the next few runs.

Naturally enough, most in the field are at similar stages of their NH career.
Murphy's Grace's Order won a bumper and ran a reasonable race when 3rd on hurdling debut in mid December, but the first two were beaten next time. Fairfield Ferrata also won a bumper, then finished runner up to subsequent winner Little Mo on hurdles debut. Pulled up next time though, so there must be doubts but....

Rose runs double Point winner Dream Over, and this well bred Shirocco mare could well be involved in the finish. Mike Smith's Melanamix is also a Point winner and has had a couple of runs already in novice hurdles, showing roughly the same level of form as Graces Order and Fairfield Ferrata.

There are two or three others with promising start already or eye catching pedigrees.

Best of luck to Bill and Carol, and to Callum Bewley in the saddle too.

Maid of Houxty (Georgina)

Musselburgh (Saturday) review

Rare times at Musselburgh with testing conditions on both days over the weekend. We had hoped for slightly sounder ground but Honda Fifty found himself slightly outpaced throughout his handicap debut over just short of 2 miles.

This should have sharpened him up though, and if the current awful weather conditions relent we'd be keen to run him again in about 3-4 weeks time. Still believe that good or good to soft ground will see him improve a bit.