Yorkshire Trainer Goes Triple Handed In Musselburgh’s £60,000 Race
The trip from Middleham to Musselburgh has provided much cheer for Mark Johnston, the three times winning trainer of the Edinburgh Gin Edinburgh Cup, and he field three challengers in Saturday’s (4 June) prestigious £60,000 contest in the quest for a fourth title.
Juste Pour Nous and Tartan Blue line up beside Regal Monarch which has Johnston’s stable jockey Joe Fanning in the saddle as he looks to complete a hat-trick of wins on the blue-blooded mount following wins last month at Ripon and Chepstow
Joint top-weights in the 1m 4f handicap are Newmarket raiders Cape of Glory, trained by James Tait and which last won in January at Southwell, and the William Haggas trained Dal Harraild. Another HQ trainer Roger Varian saddles West Drive, owned by HRJ Sultan Ahmad Shah, and a close third when favourite at York recently.
Former apprentice champion jockey Jason Hart, from Hawick, provides a Scottish interest in the big race, saddling up on John Quinn’s Project Bluebook which last won at Beverley in April.
With going at the East Lothian track expected to be good to firm, good in places, an anticipated 7000 attendance will be pleased with the quality entries spread through the £145,000 seven race card, which includes the £25,000 EBFstallions.com Edinburgh Castle Stakes conditions race which usually throws up an exciting two-year-old who will progress to Royal Ascot.
Musselburgh Racecourse managing director, Bill Farnsworth, said: “The track is in excellent condition, we have a cracking card in store and there are few finer places to be than at Edinburgh Cup day at Musselburgh in June.
“This fixture is growing in popularity and importance and the Edinburgh Gin Edinburgh Cup is an excellent partner fixture to our sell-out Stobo Castle Ladies Day the following Saturday, with both providing racing fans with two superb top quality summer Flat fixtures.”
In its 200th anniversary year, Musselburgh is pulling out the stops to provide a summer racing season to remember. Off track, Edinburgh Cup day welcomes BBC Radio One DJ Greg James who hosts a post-racing marquee party, while Scottish rugby team captain Greig Laidlaw and teammates are racing guests as they relax before the hard work begins in preparation for Scotland’s summer tour of Japan.
Gates open on Saturday at 11am, first races is at 1.40pm the feature Edinburgh Gin Edinburgh Cup race is at 3.25pm and the last race at 5.25pm
