Jimmy Moffatt chases more Musselburgh success with Idder

Jockey Lucy Alexander will be looking for a good spin on Leading Score at Musselburgh.

The top-weight, victorious over course and distance in maiden company in early  January, faces seven rivals in the Cappoquin Property Consultancy Ltd Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

Moffatt, who is looking forward to running Highland Lodge in next month’s Grand National, said: “It’s his first handicap but we think he is still progressive and he know he likes the track and the ground.

“He was left in front that day three out when the leader made a bad mistake but Brian [Hughes] felt we would have won anyway.”

Among the opposition to Idder are Donald McCain-trained Craig Star, another that will be suited by the better ground, while Lucy Alexander will be looking for a good spin on Leading Score after her return to the saddle on Wednesday.

Grand National-winning jockey Graham Lee, now plying his trade on the Flat, again appears on a jumps card, this time for the ride on Crixus’s Escape for fledging trainer Gillian Boanas, who operates from the yard vacated by recently-retired Keith Reveley.

Mister Kit turned in a great effort over hurdles last time and should be followed as he switches to fences in the Boogie In The Morning Novices’ Chase.

He has finished behind Project Bluebook and Ozzie The Oscar on his two most recent outings and given that pair’s fantastic Festival runs, the form has a pleasing look about it now.

Mister Kit is tackling fences for the first time under Rules, but having placed in point to point company previously, the obstacles should prove no bar to success.

Elsewhere, Dashing Star made a satisfactory all-weather return last month and can now take centre stage in the Betway Handicap at Lingfield.

Before that conditions event, Dashing Star had last been seen when finishing well down the field in the November Handicap at Doncaster on what was just his second start of 2016.

The seven-year-old had been off the track for 471 days before returning at Leicester last October, so perhaps there was a bit of the bounce factor as he failed to make any kind of challenge on Town Moor just two weeks after his seasonal bow.

David Elsworth gave him plenty of time to recover from that effort though, not pitching him back into battle until finishing a three-and-a-quarter-length fifth in a conditions event over this course and distance. Dashing Star was 5lb wrong with the winner that day so it was no surprise he could not get close, but back in handicap class here, the Teofilo gelding can strike gold for the first time since June 2013.

Hot Stuff can triumph in the Betway Dash Handicap. He finally got a win on the board on his penultimate start and while he had to settle for third last time, he should be towards the head of affairs on his unchanged mark of 58.

Musikel is a fascinating contender in the 32Red Casino Maiden Stakes at Newcastle. Everyone is waiting to see how Frankel’s progeny shape up as three-year-olds this season and while Musikel would not be one of the sire’s star performers, this looks a winnable event. Bred in the purple as a half brother to Finsceal Beo and Frozen Power, Musikel made only a limited impact when finishing fifth after trying to make all at Leopardstown on his only start last year.

Subsequently shipped out of Jim Bolger’s yard, Musikel is now with Karl Burke and can surely improve on that run.