Review of Musselburgh, Wednesday

Our Elsie finished 9th of 13 in her bumper at Musselburgh yesterday. This was only her second run and first for a year, so it was an okay performance as she ran well for a large portion of the race, fading in the home straight as the pace quickened.

We did ponder that the good ground may suit her better than the soft conditions that she faced on debut, but we're not so sure now. Either way, she will continue her schooling over hurdles with a view to embarking on a tilt at mares' novices' hurdles probably this side of the year,.

Stainsby Girl runs at Hexham, Friday

There's a 2 mile mares' novices' hurdle at Hexham on Friday (1.45pm), and we've take the opportunity of running our mare Stainsby Girl in that race as she's still qualified to run in such races until 1st December.
She won a similar event at Newcastle in March, so will carry a 6lb penalty here.

Also carrying a winner's penalty, and the likely odds-on favourite, is Phil Kirby's Rayna's World who won at this course, over 2m 4f, 12 days ago. Rayna's World is a fairly useful staying flat handicapper and showed her hurdling ability over an extended 2 miles when 3rd in the Grade 2 Dawn Run hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March this year. She is progressive and will be hard to beat at level weights.

Another flat performer turning to hurdles is Jedd O'Keefe's 86-rated 3-time winning stayer Jedhi. This useful mare didn't transfer that level of ability to the jumping sphere in her two runs in October, but the latent talent is there so she could well take a hand in the finish.

There are a couple of other mares in the field who have shown ability in bumpers, and are sure to progress further over timber. Kinneston Nick runs Charm Offensive who is well-made for the jumping sphere. Runner up on bumper debut, she can't be ruled out and the same could be said of the ex-Irish Tudors Glory who was placed in bumpers for Shark Hanlon. She will look to improve on her initial hurdling run for her new stable at Wetherby last month.

Stainsby Girl is inclined to be a little headstrong and, if out in front, may present a nice target for those ridden off the pace. Brian Hughes has the ride, his first for this stable, so good luck to him and also to the mare's owners Al Duncan & Helen Simpson.

Stainsby Girl (Georgina)