Suitor strikes Musselburgh Gold
Jim Goldie won his “Derby” for a second time when he saddled Reluctant Suitor to land the totesport.com Musselburgh Gold Cup in front of a big Easter Sunday crowd.
The Glasgow-based trainer won the historic Musselburgh contest 10 years ago with Keep Battling and Reluctant Suitor followed in his footsteps with a game display in the £25,000 feature.
The lightly-raced four-year-old led two furlongs out under Nicky Mackay but he looked beaten when headed by Trance soon after.
However, Reluctant Suitor would not be denied and rallying strongly, he regained the lead close home to score by three-quarters of a length.
“I thought that was brilliant. At one time this was my Derby – the Edinburgh Gold Cup,” enthused Goldie.
“When I first started racing I thought if I win the race it would be great. I was second the first time I had a go and then I came back the next year and won it with Keep Battling.
“This is a lesser horse’s Derby because you don’t get many 0-85 races worth £25,000. Hats off to Musselburgh for putting on a race like this.”
And of the winner he added: “He’s a nice wee horse. We bought him at Doncaster last backend for 8,000 guineas and now he’s won a 25 grand race.
“He ran a good race at Pontefract last year and then lost his way, the owners got fed up and I nicked him.
“He’s a Singspiel and he’s only had seven races now so he’ll improve a bit more.”
Jamie Spencer was in top form and booted home a short-priced double on Remember Ramon and Desert Lord.
He hardly had to move a muscle on the heavily-backed – including one bet of £40,000 to win £20,000 – 4-9 chance Remember Ramon in the totesport 0800 221 221 Maiden Stakes.
The promising colt cruised into the lead over a furlong out and won very cheekily by half a length from Trinity Rose.
The result was the successful outcome to a plan hatched some time ago as trainer Mark Wallace explained: “The horse is named after owner Harry Findlay’s father-in-law, who died four years ago today, so we picked this race out four months ago and it’s all worked out well.”
The champion jockey and Hambleton trainer Kevin Ryan teamed up successfully with Desert Lord in the totepool “A Better Way To Bet” Handicap to tee up the brace.
The well-backed 9-4 favourite was quickly away and soon had his rivals in trouble.
After tacking across to the stands side, he drew clear to win by two lengths from Highland Warrior.
Explaining his tactics, Spencer said: “He’s very pacey and Kevin said not to get involved in a head-to-head so I steered away from them and then it was a case of the shortest way to the winning post.”
And Ryan made it a 41-1 double when Joe Fanning made all the running on Baylaw Star (12-1) to beat Sawwah by two and a half lengths in the totetrifecta Handicap.
Noel Wilson saddled his first juvenile winner when Stolt rallied to take the totejackpot Maiden Stakes in an exciting finish.
The 12-1 shot was smartly away under David Nolan and soon setting a good pace.
However, he looked in trouble when My Mirasol, the 11-10 favourite, threw down a strong challenge inside the final furlong and briefly headed Wilson’s newcomer but he came again to get back up on the line for a short-head verdict.
“I never trained two-year-olds until last year but this is the first one that has looked like making a two-year-old. We really fancied him and the owners have had a good few quid on,” said York-based Wilson, who has seven youngsters in his care.
“It wasn’t the plan to be in front but he’s got a lot of early pace so David just let him use it.
“He’s always been quick and has shown plenty of speed at home since day one.”
There was a turn-up in the totequadpot Maiden Stakes when 20-1 chance King Of The Moors landed the spoils under a positive ride from Phillip Makin.
The David Barron-trained gelding was always prominent in the seven-furlong contest before being kicked into a definite advantage over a furlong out.
Running on strongly, he was always too good for the slow-starting Hams and had enough in reserve to win by a length and a quarter.
