Skip to content

Racecards

19:20 Musselburgh

Bibby Financial Services Bicentennial Handicap (Class 4)

  • 5 Runners
  • Distance: 7f 30y
  • Going: Good
  • Surface: Turf
  • £8,000 added
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 1m 31.01s
  • Off Time: 19:21:18
  • 5 Ran
Go to Full Result
1
Silk -

Always A Rock (IRE)

6/4

    2
    Silk -

    Prince Hamlet (IRE)

    7/2

      1(5)
      Silk - Royal Blue and Grey diabolo, White sleeves, Royal Blue and Grey quartered cap

      Sparton Duke (IRE)

      22 p
      10/3
      • Form 90-132
      • Age 3
      • Weight 9-7
      • Official Rating 80

      held up in touch, soon tracked winner, ridden over 3f out and soon beaten

      2(1)
      Silk - Dark Blue, Emerald Green epaulets, halved sleeves

      Always A Rock (IRE)

      44 D
      6/4
      • Form 321
      • Age 3
      • Weight 9-5
      • Official Rating 78

      made all, ridden over 2f out and soon challenged, kept on gamely and drew clear inside final furlong

      3(3)
      Silk - Dark Blue, White cap

      Prince Hamlet (IRE)

      13
      7/2
      • Form 31-74
      • Age 3
      • Weight 9-1
      • Official Rating 74

      tracked leaders and keen early, went prominent over 4f out, ridden and every chance over 2f out until one pace inside final furlong

      4(2)
      Silk - White, Royal Blue hoops, White and Yellow hooped sleeves, Royal Blue cap

      Island Music (IRE)

      18 D
      5/1
      • Form 7533-1
      • Age 3
      • Weight 9-1
      • Official Rating 74

      held up in touch, ridden over 2f out and soon beaten

      5(4)
      Silk - Maroon, Yellow cross belts, Yellow sleeves, Maroon stars, Maroon cap, Yellow stars

      Casino Night

      7 D
      7/1
      • Form 57-0153
      • Age 3
      • Weight 8-6
      • Official Rating 64

      tracked winner, ridden over 3f out and soon beaten

      In depth

      Verdict

      Another poor turnout for this handicap which should have attracted twice or three times the turnout taking into account the prize money but Mark Johnston won't be complaining and Always A Rock gets the vote on his handicap debut. A winner last time at Wolverhampton, the quality of that maiden was nothing to get excited about but his style of running means he could hold something up his sleeve with regard to his mark. Those around him on his penultimate outing at Lingfield have run well off higher marks and a mark of 78 could be lenient. Island Music could well emerge as the biggest danger to the selection. John Quinns' charge defied a 5lb rise to land a Redcar handicap recently. He is bred to be more effective over further and a strong pace which is likely to be set by the selection would play right into his hands. Sparton Duke was not disgraced on his debut for Kevin Ryan last time although he did not appear to finish his race out over 7 furlongs on his penultimate start. Always A Rock is given the nomination to land this handicap.

      Formwatch

      Sparton Duke (IRE) 13-2 (9-4) Raced wide, close up, chased leader over 3f out, ridden 2f out, led inside final furlong, headed towards finish, 2nd of 6, 1/2l behind Baunagain (9-3) at Great Leighs 6f 3yo hcp (4) pol.

      Always A Rock (IRE) 8-13fav (9-0) Made all, ran on well, won at W'hampton 7f mdn stk (5) pol in Apr beating Opera Prince (9-0) by 2l, 10 ran.

      Prince Hamlet (IRE) 6-1 (8-12) Keen early, held up, effort ver 2f out, soon no impression, 4th of 7, 8l behind Summon Up Theblood (9-0) at Thirsk 1m 3yo hcp (4) gd.

      Island Music (IRE) 5-1 (8-2) Held up, headway over 1f out, ridden and ran on to lead inside final furlong, won at Redcar 7f fll hcp (4) gf beating Fantasy Parkes (9-6) by 1l, 7 ran.

      Casino Night 8-1 (8-13) Mid-division on inside, ridden and headway over 1f out, kept on inside final furlong, no impression, 3rd of 12, 7l behind Hasty Retreat (9-4) at Newcastle 1m 3yo hcp (6) gf.