Horse racing: Champion jockey Hanagan can steer filly to victory

The chestnut filly was sent off joint favourite at Beverley a fortnight ago and looked set to score when coming to challenge the long time leader approaching the final furlong. But lack of full fitness in the heavy ground took it’s toll on the climb to the line and she eventually finished third, beaten less than two lengths. She will strip fitter this time and can take the Byford Dolphin Handicap (3.30).

The four-year-old had two victories to her credit last year at Doncaster and Ripon and both over the ten furlong trip she tackled at Beverley. She steps up to a mile and a half tomorrow, but showed she has the required stamina when third over that longer journey at Thirsk last summer, even though she is a half sister to two winning sprinters.

She runs off the same mark tomorrow as at Beverley and it is significant that trainer Ollie Pears has booked champion jockey Paul Hanagan for the mount.

Hanagan travels north from his new job in Newmarket to partner a couple of runners for his old boss, Richard Fahey, and they can take the Dickson Minto W S Handicap (4.00) with Hi There.

The gelding was placed in three of his eight races when trained by John Hills and was bought at the sales last autumn for just 9000 guineas, but should soon be repaying some of that outlay, judging by his initial effort for his new connections at Beverley recently.

He overcame a tardy start to get right into the action in the home straight and only lost second place in the dying strides of a competitive 7F handicap. The three-year-old eventually finished fourth, but will be fitter now as that was his first outing after a break of 181 days.

Mercers Row ran well when runner-up here last month and can go one better in the Turf TV Handicap (5.00). He was beaten a length that day by Boucher Garcon after a slow start and now meets his conqueror on 15lb better terms.

My selection has won only once in 15 outings, but he has some useful placed form off higher marks than the 63 he runs off tomorrow and he has made the frame on all three of his visits so far to the East Lothian track.

Nadeen seems to shows his best form in the spring as all three of his career wins have come in April. He made a successful debut as a juvenile for Mick Channon and scored at the Easter fixture here at Musselburgh last year.

The gelding failed to make the frame in 14 starts after that and dropped a stone in the ratings, but came back to Musselburgh to win again at the Easter fixture last month when a storming late run saw him justify favouritism.

He tackles an extra furlong in the D M Hall Handicap (3.00), but the handicapper has put him up only 3lb and he can follow up here.

Musselburgh selections: 3.00 Nadeen; 3.30 Sangar; 4.00 Hi There; 5.00 Mercers Row.