Horse Racing: Mandarin gets another bite

The gelding was a well-backed favourite here on Tuesday, but was slowly away in a competitive sprint. He managed to thread a way through the field to chase the leaders approaching the final furlong.

But his path was blocked at a vital time and, after being switched right, he finished so strongly that he went down by only a neck and a head in a driving finish.

The ten-year-old had been placed in two of his four previous races this term, including when third here on his reappearance in April and is likely to appreciate the slight drop in class in the Bernard Hunter Crane Hire Selling Stakes (8.10pm)

He has 16 career victories on his CV and, although only one of them has come over this minimum trip, he has plenty of pace. This might be his third race in just about a week, but he still gets a confident vote.

Trainer Tim Easterby has his string in great form and Jackday can land the Rennies of Dunfermline Handicap (8.40pm). The gelding has bags of stamina and was runner-up on four occasions last year before winning over two miles at Catterick in the autumn and has been running with credit over hurdles during the winter.

He was sent off favourite on his return to the level at Ripon recently when making smooth progress up the home straight. But he was short of room at a vital stage entering the final furlong and failed by a neck to overhaul a rank outsider. Compensation awaits tonight.

Kevina Ryan can make the trip from North Yorkshire worthwhile by landing a first and last race double, beginning with Jigajag in the opening Rok The Nations Local Builder Apprentice Handicap (6.40pm). The three-year-old failed to make the frame in five starts as a juvenile, but opened his account over six furlongs on the all-weather at Wolverhampton in April and scored again over that course and distance earlier this week.

In between those efforts he was runner-up over the minimum trip on this track when eh was caught in the last few yards and beaten a head in a photo finish. He has a 6lb penalty to carry tomorrow, but the trainer's daughter Amy will claim a handy 3lb allowance.

Stable companion Killing Moon has been runner-up in his last two races and looks set to go one better in the Canada Life Handicap (9.10pm). The three-year-old did not race as a juvenile, but showed promise in two runs on the all-weather in the early months of the year before finishing fifth on his turf debut at Ripon last month.

He finished strongly when runner-up at Beverley, but then seemed to throw his race away on his latest outing at Thirsk where he missed the break, but made giant strides in the home straight and looked sure to win until hanging badly right inside the final furlong.

That was simply inexperience and once back on an even keel he finished with a flourish to be beaten just a head. I expect the chestnut to open his account this time.

Joe Rowntree's Musselburgh's selections: 6.40 Jigajig; 8.10 Mandarin Spirit; 8.40 Jackday; 9.10 Killing Moon.