Johnston ready for Musselburgh tilt

Johnston has a strike rate of almost 20 per cent on the East Lothian track over the past five seasons and Fanning is not far behind him.

Materialism is a half brother to a couple of useful winners and showed lots of promise on his debut at Wolverhampton last September where he raced up with the pace before leading a quarter of a mile from home.

His lack of experience and peak fitness told when he was headed inside the final furlong, but it was no surprise to see him open his winning account at Lingfield in mid-January.

Both those races were over seven furlongs and he faces that same trip in the Turcan Connell Handicap (8.30pm) when he has to concede weight to all his rivals.

But his form is rock-solid as the runner-up at Lingfield has since won twice and it will be a surprise to me if the colt cannot add this prize to his CV.

Johnston and Fanning will have high hopes of initiating a double with Fulbright in the EBF Maiden Stakes (7.00pm) as the youngster showed bags of promise when third on his debut at Beverley.

He cost 52,000 guineas and is a half-brother to seven winners, including a couple of decidedly useful sprinters, but raced at Beverley as though he needs a longer trip. He was staying on strongly up the hill there and may find the sharp five furlongs against him tomorrow evening, especially as Blue Shoes is in the line-up.

Tim Easterby's filly was third on her debut on this track when she was hampered at a vital stage and then showed bags of speed at Ripon before being collared in the dying strides and beaten in a photo finish. She just gets my vote.

Easterby can complete a double with Bollin Greta in the Canaccord Genuity Handicap (7.30pm) for the mare turned in a fine effort on her reappearance at Nottingham recently.

Held up in the early stages, she moved smoothly into the lead halfway up the home straight and then ran on strongly. The handicapper has put her up just 3lb and she will be hard to peg back here. Ex-jump jockey David O'Meara did extremely well last term in his first year with a licence and is carrying on the good work this term. He saddles Melodize in the concluding Weir Property Management handicap (9.00pm) and the filly can call the tune.

Successful last term for William Muir, the three-year-old was snapped up for just 1500gns at the autumn sales and made a successful start for present connections on her reappearance at Redcar where she beat Irish Boy by just over a length after travelling well throughout.

The latter had won his previous start and has scored again since and is in tomorrow's line-up when he will meet Melodize on 3lb better terms.

Joe Rowntree's Musselburgh selections: 7.00 Blue Shoes; 7.30 Bollin Greta; 8.30 Materialism; 9.00 Melodie.