BACK RAPID FOR SUCCESS

Mick Easterby can toast back-to-back victories with Rapid Applause when he goes for gold at Musselburgh tomorrow.

The Sheriff Hutton handler was caught unawares by the sixyear-old at Beverley last week when he absolutely bolted up in a five-furlong handicap.

Easterby did not expect Rapid Applause to win, but he stormed home by nearly two lengths.

The manner in which that race was competed aided Rapid Applause in no uncertain terms, but perhaps more compelling was the fact jockey Nathan Evans never once needed to get serious.

Rapid Applause must shoulder a 6lb penalty in this five-furlong handicap, but that still gives him the look of a very well treated horse as he was rated as highly as 110 in what has so far been a nomadic career.

Gilded Hour looks interesting in a sevenfurlong fillies’ handicap at Chepstow.

Ralph Beckett’s threeyear-old makes her handicap debut on a mark of 76, but she might be a wee bit better than that.

After all, she showed flashes of ability as a juvenile, having finished in the money at Kempton and at Doncaster, and was hardly disgraced at the first-named venue upon her return to the fray.

Gilded Hour was beaten four lengths into third in a seven-furlong novice stakes on April 18, but that was a pretty hot affair as the winner, Il Primo Sole, looks sharp for the John Gosden team.

And with runner-up Major Partnership, who was considered good enough to be given an entry in the Dante, no slouch, either, Gilded Hour’s performance deserves to be upgraded.

Shewasalsotookeenfor her own good at Kempton, so jockey Oisin Murphy will be desperate to get her nice and relaxed in what is a weaker race.

Paul Cole’s Arctic Sea can be trusted to run with purpose in a one-mile handicap at Lingfield. He has won twice over this distance.

Photographer is an interesting runner for Gosden at Newcastle in a 10-furlong novice stakes.

A winner on his only start at two, this halfbrother to Coronet holds entries in the Dante and the Derby.