Little Bruce is a big favourite for feature at Cheltenham Trials day
● Kirby’s Yorkshire raider seeks ‘national’ ● Jacob eyes repeat in Sunday’s big hurdle
Little Bruce has been installed as ante-post favourite for the feature on Musselburgh’s Scottish Cheltenham Trials card on Saturday as he bids to add another “national” to the one he bagged at Catterick.
Trained near Scotch Corner by Philip Kirby and ridden by Tommy Dowson, he is one of 15 entries for the £45,000 bet365 Edinburgh National having won the North Yorkshire equivalent off a 6lb lower mark three weeks ago.
The opposition is headed by Dan Skelton-trained Very First Time, three times a winner already this season, most recently by six lengths at Doncaster on Saturday.
Richard Hobson’s Cheltenham raider Chic Name, not disgraced when eighth in last April’s Scottish Grand National, is another possible, while Brian Boranha represents Malton handler Peter Niven, who as a jockey, rode on the opening Musselburgh jumps card in 1987.
In the £35,000 bet365 Scottish County Hurdle, Jim Goldie’s Sir Chauvelin is expected to try for a fifth course-and-distance strike at the East Lothian venue.
A short-priced favourite when fourth in the 2018 Scottish County Hurdle, his most recent track success came in the Hogmaneigh Hurdle on New Year’s Day and he races in the colours of Dundee United director Jimmy Fyffe.
Current champion jumps trainer Paul Nicholls, winner of this in 2017 with subsequent Grade 1 scorer Diego Du Charmil, is triple-handed with Miranda, Scaramanga and Bathsheba Bay.
Donald Mccain’s Dear Sire, the winner two years ago, is also among the entries, along with John Quinn’s dual course winners Ashington and Project Bluebook.
The bet365 Scottish Champion Chase was won in 2017 by San Benedetto, a Grade 1 winner at Aintree just a few weeks later, and the top-rated entry for Saturday is Ruth Jeffersontrained Double W’s on a BHA mark of 140.
Brian Ellison-trained Ballyvic Boru, a national hunt flat race winner at Musselburgh during his younger days, appears for the second time since having wind surgery, while Cracking Destiny, who changed hands for £35,000 last May, has won and finished second in two Musselburgh runs since joining Hawick trainer Alistair Whillans.
Nicholls’ Wonderful Charm, who has contested six Cheltenham Festivals including when pipped by a neck three years ago, won the 2017 and 2018 renewals of the bet365 Scottish Foxhunter Open Hunters’ Chase and is among the 14 entries.
On day two on Sunday, the richest pot on offer is the £35,000 bet 365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle.
Jockey Daryl Jacob took the 2018 renewal with soon-tobe Grade 1 winner We Have A Dream and the Irishman has been booked for the ride on Goa Lil, an all-the-way winner at Kempton earlier this month for Nigel Twiston-davies.
Irish trainer John Mcconnell has saddled winners at Musselburgh in the past and he is double-handed with Anna Bunina and impressive New Year’s Day course and distance scorer Never Do Nothing.
Scotland’s leading Flat trainer, Keith Dalgleish, could also run two horses as he has entered Three Castle and December course winner El Picador, who is co-owned by Hamilton Park chairman Sir Ian Good and his daughter Catriona.
Entries for the £20,000 bet365 Scottish Supreme Novices’ Hurdle include Nicky Henderson-trained Fred and
Ecco, representing Nicholls, who were separated by four and half lengths when first and second at Kempton on Boxing Day.
Jabbaar was a useful horse on the Flat for Iain Jardine and he made a winning debut for his Carrutherstown trainer at Sedgefield before coming a gallant second at Kelso recently.
In the concluding bet365 Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race, Scottish owner Thomas Barr has entered December Chepstow runnerup Mortlach.
Nicholls has already secured the services of Harry Cobden who has ridden two winners from just seven previous rides at Musselburgh.