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Musselburgh – Preview 3rd July 2023

Gordon Brown – Race Reporter

Gordon has a wealth of experience of racing through his background in the written and broadcast media. His current principle role is reporting and supporting the scene in Scotland on Racing TV and relaying the latest news with Scottish angles.

TRISTAN DAVIDSON is hoping bang-in-form Ecclesiastical can complete a hat-trick in the 100% RacingTV Profits back To Racing Racing Handicap at Musselburgh on Monday night.

The Cumbrian raider shoulders a 5lb penalty for a wide-margin romp at Chester on Friday evening having, nine-days earlier, also struck comfortably at Ripon.

“He’s in the form of his life and you know what they say about sprinters in form,” said Daividson, who is based just east of Carlisle. “We’ve only had him for three runs since he came from Ireland but he seems an uncomplicated type of horse.”

Rivals to Ecclesiastical include Karl Burke-trained Cinque Verde, who has a 6lb penalty for her all-the-way four and a half length scorer at Wolverhampton seven-days ago.

Bottom-weight is Jim Goldie’s course and distance winner Primo’s Comet, a nine-time victor with six wins at Musselburgh to his name from 27 previous visits to the East Lothian venue.

The evening gets underway with the British Stallions Studs EBF Restricted Maiden Stakes with Allen Power a fascinating newcomer from the powerful Charlie Johnston stable.

He boasts a lovely middle-distance pedigree with Group 1 winners Alborada and Albanova featuring on the dam’s side of his page.

Robert Johnson bids to make it four wins from his last five starts in the Every Race Live On Racing TV Handicap for Billy Loughnane and Philip Kirby.

His only defeat on the Flat on turf this year came when a luckless close fourth at Catterick when he was denied a clear passage on several occasions.