Christopher looks better than ever

Musselburgh

Saturday/Sunday

IT was a big weekend for Musselburgh, with a two-day fixture including a number of would-be Cheltenham trials, but while the weather relented enough to allow both days to take place, it was largely a case of quantity over quality.

There were some exceptions, though, and Christopher Wood was the star on Saturday’s card, looking better than ever as he landed the Scottish County Hurdle from a BHA mark of 143 under 7lb claiming amateur Angus Cheleda.

Cheleda has plenty of experience for his claim, and the handicapper has been harsh enough in raising the six-year-old gelding to 150, so he’d only appeal if Cheleda kept the ride, looking more of a Scottish Champion Hurdle horse than one for the County, in which he was well beaten last year.

McCain’s double

Donald McCain landed a smart double on Sunday with Fiveandtwenty and Bareback Jack who landed the Scottish Triumph and the Scottish Supreme respectively.

Both were well ridden by Brian Hughes, and both looked to have speed in abundance, making Aintree rather than Cheltenham their most obvious port of call this spring.

Missing the big meeting in the Cotswolds could be a benefit to them, and neither are underestimated granted suitable conditions for a yard which has come through a tough spell and is thriving once again.

Lingfield Saturday

BANGKOK (Andrew Balding/Ryan Moore) was the headline act on the polytrack at Lingfield on Saturday, and last year’s Winter Derby Trial winner did not need to improve to stage a repeat, scoring by half a length from Felix, who had beaten him in a photo at Wolverhampton last month.

The winner is set to run next in the Saudi Cup rather than make another attempt at the Winter Derby itself, in which he was tactically outmanoeuvred last year.

In the other listed race on the card, Karl Burke’s Exalted Angel (Clifford Lee) sprang a 20/1 shock in the Kachy Stakes, although the son of Dark Angel was well placed in a race where less than two lengths covered the first six home.

The impression was that any of that sextet might have won granted a marginal change in pace/track position.