Six out of nine ain’t bad for Scots-based trainers at Musselburgh

Stewards Cup winner Summerghand heads weights for QTS Ayr Gold Cup

Trainer Keith Dalgleish saddled a double at Musselburgh.

Scottish stables had a field day at Musselburgh with six of the nine winners trained north of the border.

Keith Dalgleish led the way with a 46-1 double supplied by Heights Of Abraham and Three Castles, both ridden by Shane Gray.

The former stormed home in the Start Your Career With Scottish Racing Academy Maiden Auction Stakes while Three Castles held on by a neck in the Racing Welfare For All Of Racing’s People Handicap.

Gray said of Heights Of Abraham: “He’s come on for his debut at Ayr and he did it nicely out there today. He handled the softer ground and didn’t mind stepping up to seven furlongs.”

Katie Scott, based near Galashiels, struck in the Scottish Racing Academy Now Recruiting with Gweedore who was winning his first race at the eleventh attempt.

Alistair Whillans was on the mark in the Musselburgh Racecourse Supports Racing Welfare Handicap with Hawick raider Amazing Alba, who also was also winning for the first time in her 19th race.

Smart Lass took the Racing Welfare Supporting Racing’s Workforce Handicap under East Lothian-born jockey Andrew Mullen for Dumfriesshire trainer Iain Jardine.

And East Kilbride’s Linda Perratt opened her account for the year when well-backed 9-4 favourite Chinese Spirit gained a last-gasp success in the scottishracingacademy.scot Classified Stakes.

Meanwhile, Summerghand, the winner of the Unibet Stewards Cup at Goodwood earlier this month, heads the weights for the QTS Ayr Gold Cup on Saturday 19 September.

The David O’Meara trained six year-old, fourth in the race last year, has been allocated 9st 13lbs and gives 6lbs to next top rated Dakota Gold, from the Michael Dods stable, who has been running mainly in Group and Listed company.

The highest rated three year-old in the field is the Mark Johnston trained Meraas, winner of the Scottish Stewards’ Cup at Hamilton in July, who is due to carry 9st 1lb.

The four year-old Wise Counsel who recently ran third in a Listed race at Goodwood and won a Class 3 handicap at Ayr on Gold Cup day last year, is off 8st 12lbs and Clive Cox looks to have trained the gelding with this race in mind.

The Tim Easterby trained Staxton who won the Great St Wilfrid at Ripon 12 days ago will probably need another win before Gold Cup day to guarantee a run in the race as his current BHA rating is on the low side and he may have to make do with a slot in the QTS Ayr Silver Cup.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to scotsman.com and enjoy unlimited access to Scottish news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Joy Yates

Editorial Director