Horseracing: Kyber difficult to pass

Published on Monday 29 June 2009 09:59

COURSE specialist Kyber can get punters off to a flyer by winning the opening event at Musselburgh this evening.

The gelding has netted seven of his eight career victories on the East Lothian track and can add another in the Bollinger Champagne Challenge Handicap (6.55pm).

This two-mile affair for amateur riders sees top jockeys Simon Walker and Scott Dobson on fancied challengers Mystified and Monte Pattino and that pair will both go well.

The latter scored on this track last month and has been placed on both his starts since then, while Mystified has also been in good form, but Kyber can prove the best value bet.

Two of his victories on the seaside circuit came over hurdles and he scored three times here last summer, including when taking this same event under tonight's rider Phillip Norton. That is the only time the lad has ridden the eight-year-old and they can keep their record intact with another victory, especially as Kyber should be fit now after two recent runs following a spring break.

Rocketball scored at the last meeting here from a good draw next to the favoured stands rail and will be fancied to follow up in the Sterling Sprint Handicap (7.25pm), but he has a wide draw to contend with this time. Twosheetstothewind is also drawn wide and my preference is for Thunder Bay, who is one of the main contenders drawn near the stands rail.

Richard Fahey's four-year-old was a ready winner here last month and has run better than the final placings suggest in two starts since then. All four of his career wins have come over the minimum trip and he comes from a stable in sizzling form.

Mooted ran well when second at Ripon recently and can go one better in the Sterling Solutions Handicap (8.25pm). Successful in a Windsor maiden event last term for Roger Charlton, he has been placed in two of his four starts for current connections.

The gelding was third on the all-weather at Wolverhampton before Christmas and returned from a break to finish unplaced at Redcar in May before stepping up in trip at Ripon, where he went down narrowly and is clearly a stayer in the making.

Yorkshire trainer Dandy Nicholls has a good record on the East Lothian track and can take the European Breeders Fund Maiden Auction Stakes (7.55pm) with Mal and Dave.

The youngster showed promise in his early races, especially when fifth behind a highly rated rival at Carlisle before finishing second at Beverley where he showed bags of speed to lead from a poor draw before tiring on the stiff climb to the line. He again led for much of the way when second at Haydock ten days ago and deserves to go one better here.

Joe Rowntree's Musselburgh selections: 6.55 Kyber; 7.25 Thunder bay; 7.55 Mal and Dave; 8.25 Mooted