Midgley has Reason to be cheerful

YORKSHIRE trainer Paul Midgley scooped the £100,000 William Hill Scottish Sprint Cup and the valuable Tartan Trophy consolation race on sold-out Ladies Day at Musselburgh.

Joe Fanning threaded Line Of Reason through the eye of a needle to land the big one just over an hour after Connor Murtagh also produced Orient Class with a late thrust.

Line Of Reason, sent off at 11-1, brought the 10,000 crowd to their feet after pipping Harry Hurricane by a length-and-aquarter. A beaming Midgley said: “It’s brilliant to win two such high-profile sprints on the same day never mind the same card.

“Our stable is all about speed and it’s nice to enjoy a bit of luck for a change as we’ve seen the other side of the coin too – that’s the way it goes in these competitive dashes.

“Line Of Reason is a quality horse but he lost his form a bit over the winter in Dubai. He needs fast ground and it’s a very good prize to pick up. He may go to Ireland next.”

The 16-1 chance Orient Class was a first course success for Murtagh who said: “They didn’t hang about, it was very quick race. It was very straightforward and we got the breaks when we needed them.”

Jim Goldie flew the flag for Scotland as Great Fighter followed up last month’s course win the Stobo Castle Ladies Day Gold Cup with Keith Dalgleish pair Ken-sington Star and Sebastian’s Wish second and third.

The Renfrewshire trainer said: “For a big horse he acts very well here and he’s also a winning hurdler. He’s won on the Flat at 1m 6f to two miles now and hopefully he’ll improve enough to get into the Ebor. He’s an exciting prospect for the summer.

“He was good enough to finish third in the Swinton Hurdle at Haydock and is certainly a horse to look forward to.”