Paul Ferguson has two selections for us on Sunday; Brain Power 13:00 and Cardinal Walter 15:00 both at Musselburgh. Compare odds and bet.
Nicky Henderson sends a cracking team up to Musselburgh on Sunday, the first of which Brain Power (1:00) can land the opening Sky Bet Supreme Scottish Trial Novices’ Hurdle.
A bumper winner for James Jenkins before joining Henderson, the Kalanisi gelding shaped better than the bare result in the Grade 2 bumper at Aintree and he made a winning debut over hurdles at Kempton in November.
A speedy individual, the track and ground should suit this afternoon and, though he comes up against a smart sort in Charbel here (Jumpers To Follow readers will know I like Kim Bailey’s five-year-old), he is taken to make it two from two with conditions to suit.
Henderson saddles two in the Scottish County Hurdle, a race he won in 2010 with Eradicate, and he can strike with a similar type Cardinal Walter (3:00) this afternoon.
A classy ex-Flat performer, the seven-year-old won twice from four starts over hurdles last term, both times at Doncaster, and he looks full of pace. Rather like Brain Power, conditions here really ought to suit and, having proven himself in big fields on the level (placed at Glorious Goodwood and the Melrose as a three-year-old), he ticks plenty of boxes. Off the track since disappointing slightly at Aintree (only fifth), the selection has gone well fresh in the past and should go close.
The Lambourn trainer saddles a couple in the concluding Pertemps Qualifier, last year’s festival winner Call The Cops who makes his debut for JP McManus, and also Cup Final, who carries the same silks.
Barry Geraghty gets down to 10-4 to ride the lightly-raced seven-year-old, who remains potentially well handicapped. Last seen winning at Sandown, in a race that has worked out really well, this is his first start for 428 days and the extended 3m2f trip is a slight concern after such a lay-off.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if this horse went close in the final at the festival next month, so he is of huge interest here, especially as he might have to go up a couple of pounds to sneak into the Cheltenham contest. If he is available at an each-way price, for that reason, I would certainly make him the third bet of the day, but I suspect he will be pretty short.
Sunday’s selections:
1:00 Musselburgh Brain Power 15/8 PaddyPower
3:00 Musselburgh Cardinal Walter 5/1 Bet365
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