Horse racing: Shabora can go the distance in Musselburgh’s Royal Mile

Roger Varian’s well-related filly Shabora has been kept busy on the all-weather during the winter and that fitness will stand her in good stead in the bumper.

She is Varian’s first runner at the East Lothian circuit and has paid her way since making a belated racecourse debut last autumn, winning three of her last four. But it is the John Quinn-trained Irish raider Layla’s Hero who carries the nap in the Betfred ‘Goals Galore’ Handicap. After a strong second at Doncaster on 1 April, he can take his seventh win.

Tomorrow sees the traditional Easter Sunday Family Race Day featuring the historic Musselburgh Gold Cup.

A competitive field of 12 runners will line up for the £20,000 1m 6f handicap sponsored by Betfred, which is dominated by northern-trained stayers with the exception of the well fancied Shubaat from the Newmarket stable of Varian and the mount of Neil Callan.

Scotland’s top flat race trainer, Jim Goldie, relies on Kaolak, a winner over the jumps at Musselburgh earlier in the year but Middleham stables hold a particularly strong hand. Elaine Burke’s Red Jade will be fully wound up after a successful winter campaign over hurdles.

The in-form Micky Hammond is represented by the winning duo of Hollins and Meetings Man and the selection will be Jeu de Vivre from Mark Johnston’s powerful Kingsley House yard.

But it could be left to Berkshire-based trainer Stan Moore to take the spoils. The Upper Lambourn handler sends Cooper Canyon on the long journey north for this tempting prize and the four-year-old can make his race-fitness count. He has been on the go on the all-weather in the last couple of months following a six-month break, having left Andrew Haynes’ stable, so he should be at the top of his game.

Goldie has booked Kieren Fallon to ride Rasaman in the Betfred The Bonus King Handicap (2.50).