Mouse Doctor romps home in feature as Scots trainers savour Musselburgh wins

The Mouse Doctor romped away with the £11,500 feature race at Musselburgh yesterday to give jockey Phillip Enright his first winner at the track.

Trained by Tony Martin, the popular 6-4 favourite slammed front-running Seaborough by eight lengths in the Betway Handicap Hurdle, a qualifier for the Challenger Two Mile Hurdle Series Final.

Co Meath-based Martin said: “We came for the better ground and he’s done it very well so the boys who own him will have a good night tonight.

“He was a hard horse to keep right but he won on the Flat at Dundalk and we knew we had him in good form.”

Martin and Enright completed a double when Good Time Jonny, set off the 5-6 favourite, was a seven-length scorer over Chuvelo in the concluding Betway Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.

There were three Scottish winners on the card for trainers Keith Dalgleish, Sandy Thomson and Lucinda

Russell. Carluke-based Dalgleish, who saddled a tartan record 118 winners (Flat and jumps combined) in 2019, struck with Brian Hughes ridden Highway Companion in the opening 2m 4f handicap hurdle.

At 20 lengths, Thomson’s Buckled, partnered by Borders jockey Ryan Mania, produced the widest winning margin of the day, while Russell’s strike came courtesy of Izzy’s Champion in the 2m 4f handicap chase.

At Ascot today, Un De Sceaux can turn around Sandown form with Defi Du Seuil and notch a fourth win in the Matchbook Clarence House Chase.

Willie Mullins’ charge is certainly in the veteran stage of his career at the age of 12 but his neck defeat at the hands of his much younger rival in the Tingle Creek shows his ability and appetite remain undiminished.

Reappearing for the first time since dishing out a beating to Min at the Punchestown Festival, Un De Sceaux will surely have come on a bit for his first spin in 221 days. His jumping was not foot-perfect that day, but the way he put his head down and battled against the race-fit Defi Du Seuil gives him every chance again here.

While Defi Du Seuil perhaps idled a bit on that occasion, Un De Sceaux thrives both at Ascot and on testing ground – which seems a given this weekend.

On what can be a good afternoon in Berkshire for the Irish raiding party, Magic Of Light can take home the bet365 Mares’ Hurdle.

She won this race for Jessica Harrington last year before going on to post an excellent second to Tiger Roll in the Grand National and, after a Newbury chase win last time out, she clearly remains in top form.

Thomas Darby switches disciplines in the Matchbook Holloway’s Handicap Hurdle after failing to really find his stride in two starts over fences.

Second in the Supreme Hurdle last year, Olly Murphy’s charge has let himself down with his jumping in chase company, but can put himself back in the mix over hurdles here.

Goshen has won his two outings over obstacles by a total of 57 lengths and is the obvious choice in the Ascot IJF Ambassador Programme Juvenile Hurdle.

He has made all on each occasion and been eased down well before the line, so the sky really is the limit right now for Gary Moore’s charge.