Snow go for Smart
Despite running green on only his second appearance on a racecourse, the Paul Mulrennan-ridden three-year-old got up in the final strides to beat Prince Kalamoun by a neck.
Smart is based high up at Hambleton in North Yorkshire and he explained: “I heard the tractor going at quarter to five this morning and when I looked out I saw my assistant Kevin Edmunds clearing the snow from the drive.
“So I went out and got the shovel and along with the rest of the staff we got stuck in and sorted things out and that is why we are here.
“But I did my back in the process!”
He went on: “It is always good to get the first one in on turf and I hope there are plenty of more to come. We have 116 horses in this time, including 70 two-year-olds.”
Neil Callan was seen at his strongest as he got 10-1 chance Pass The Port home in front in a thrilling finish to the £20,000 totesport.com Musselburgh Gold Cup having earlier been successful on Cha Cha Cha in the totepool Easter Handicap.
Pass The Port, trained at Pontypridd by Derek Haydn Jones, prevailed by a short head from Peter Bowen’s 5-1 favourite Souffleur as they made it a one-two for the raiders from South Wales.
John Runeckles of the The Porters syndicate which owns Pass The Port, said of the 10-1 winner: “This is his first win on turf and we thought he had won, we were right on the line.
“Derek is a brilliant trainer and we have eight horses with him in all.”
Callan and Kevin Ryan have struck up a very successful partnership in recent seasons and Cha Cha Cha (4-1) had rather more to spare as he beat Pure Imagination by two and a half lengths.
Mick Channon opened his account for the new season when Barraland, sent off at 5-2 and his only runner at the meeting, gained a decisive success under Joe Fanning in the toteplacepot Handicap.
Paul Blockley was another trainer making a one-horse raid and he too made the trip pay off as Friends Hope (4-1) landed the totecourse to course Selling Stakes in the hands of Stephen Donohoe.
