Hanagan looks for Musselburgh boost

THE Flat season at Musselburgh ends on an high note this afternoon with champion jockey Paul Hanagan expected to consolidate his grip on back-to-back title honours with six booked rides on the seven-race card and a major chance of lifting the £8,000 William Hill Scottish Cup on Lexington Bay.

Hanagan has already clinched the Isle of Skye Whisky-sponsored award for the leading jockey at Musselburgh for the 2011 campaign with 14 winners to his name and will be strongly fancied to add to that tally with strong chances in the opening four races. Course winner Jupiter Fidius should go close for Hanagan in the Selling Stakes at 2.10pm and the champion jockey will be hoping to score on Berbice for Linda Perratt in the TurfTV Handicap at 2.40pm. Hanagan teams up with the progressive Irish raider Golden Halo in the EBF Maiden at 3.15pm while his many supporters will be anticipating further success with Lexington Bay in the two-mile William Hill Scottish Cup for the Willie Park Trophy at 3.50pm and on the napped Regal Lady in the next.

Meanwhile, Johnny Murtagh is the latest jockey based in Ireland to announce that he will dramatically reduce his riding appearances in Britain because of the controversial new whip rules. Ruby Walsh was handed a five-day suspension for hitting his mount once more than the permitted eight when scoring on Edgardo Sol at Aintree on Saturday, and revealed afterwards that he would now only travel to ride in Britain for the big races.

Murtagh, a three-time winner of the Derby at Epsom, has decided to follow suit and said: “These are bad rules introduced for the wrong reasons. I cannot risk these lengths of bans when I come over to Britain.

“You won’t see me in the lead-up to major meetings like Royal Ascot and races like the Derby any more.”