Hostelry poised for another success at Musselburgh

Hostelry looked an improved performer in a first-time visor when last seen and can back that up with another victory for trainer Ruth Carr in the Watch On Racing TV Handicap at Musselburgh on Monday.

The nine-year-old mare might not be an obvious candidate for improvement at this stage of her career, but she has slipped to a mark where a couple of handicaps may remain within reach before she calls it a day.

Carr lined up five wins for the chestnut last season, starting off with a mark of 53 and ending up with a win at Carlisle off 68 in August. But she had slipped back to 50 before running out a solid two-length winner at Ayr a fortnight ago in the new headgear.

If that visor continues to have a galvanising effect, Hostelry looks capable of going on another run from a mark of 54.

Two Commanders has been campaigned pretty honestly in his first four runs, placing third over 1400m, winning over 1200m and then hitting the frame twice again over the same distance to earn a mark of 78.

His first dip into handicap company last time suggested there could be juice in that mark, particularly now he steps back up to 1400m in the Ina And Ella Macgregor Handicap.

That 1.5-length third to The Good Biscuit can be marked up a touch given the winner has since dotted up again and the form of the Ed Bethell yard could not be hotter than it is at the moment.

Course and distance winner Wee Mary is no superstar, but she is a consistent little filly and has every chance of putting it to a familiar bunch of faces in the Ocean Scotland Outdoor Advertising Handicap.

A neck second off a 2lb higher mark here in June, she is weighted to go close and unless one of this field of regular opponents produces an improved effort, she could nick this one from the front.

Falcon Nine started out owned by the Niarchos family with Sir Michael Stoute and was a shorter price than Arc heroine Bluestocking on his second run under Ryan Moore at Salisbury in September 2022.

So you could say where did it all go wrong that four years on he finds himself running in the ‘Celebrating Veteran Armed Forces’ Selling Handicap.

But while the six-year-old may not have scaled the heights expected, he remains a consistent performer, finishing in the first three in 10 of his last 16 outings, winning two.

A third in 17 could be within reach judged on his effort to finish second last time, only giving best after a sustained battle for the lead through the final 200m.

Nogo’s Dream can make the most of having his sights lowered in the Blackmore Building Contractors Handicap at Brighton.

The six-year-old has been knocking on the door this season, finishing second twice at Sandown, once at Nottingham and once at Lingfield since the turn of the year.

Rated as high as 84 last summer, he now competes off 74 on what is his first outing in Class Five company for quite some time, while the booking of title-chasing Billy Loughnane can only be viewed as a positive.

Loughnane’s title rival Oisin Murphy heads for Windsor, where his rides include the ultra-consistent Cape Fear.

Andrew Balding’s youngster has not been out of the three in seven starts since finishing fifth on his debut, but looked a bit outpaced when dropped back in trip at Chester last time.

This sterner test of stamina should see him to better effect and with the Balding string firing on all cylinders, Cape Fear must have every chance in the Play The Free £20,000 Matchbook Match 6 Handicap. – Press Association

SELECTIONS:

BALLINROBE: Race 1 – 17.51 Coolishael, Race 2 – 18.26 O’Grady Cracker, Race 3 – 19.00 Cool Native, Race 4 – 19.30 My Good Pal, Race 5 – 20.00 Bowensonfire, Race 6 – 20.30 Jeroboam Machin, Race 7 – 21.00 She Was The One.

BRIGHTON: Race 1 – 15.30 Nogo’s Dream, Race 2 – 16.00 Rogue Imperial, Race 3 – 16.30 The Organiser, Race 4 – 17.00 Bobacious, Race 5 – 17.30 Heer’s Sadie, Race 6 – 18.00 Mister Sandman.

MUSSELBURGH: Race 1 – 15.15 The Mean Fiddler, Race 2 – 15.45 Bluestone Lady, Race 3 – 16.15 Falcon Nine, Race 4 – 16.45 Two Commanders, Race 5 – 17.15 Wee Mary, Race 6 – 17.45 HOSTELRY (NAP).

WINDSOR: Race 1 – 18.13 Just Dreaming, Race 2 – 18.48 Regalism, Race 3 – 19.18 Cape Fear, Race 4 – 19.48 Torbados, Race 5 – 20.18 Star Obsession, Race 6 – 20.48 Dragon God.