Hawick amateur Wood hopes for Dream ride at Musselburgh

Connor Wood will be hoping he has another Monday to remember on his sole ride at Musselburgh’s competitive - looking behind closed doors fixture.

The 21- year-old amateur from Hawick, fresh from his first win against professionals at Ayr seven days ago, is aboard Big Bad Dream in the williamhill.com “Hands And Heels” Handicap Hurdle for conditional and amateur jockeys.

Donald Whillans, who trains the gel ding, said :“Con nor rides well over jumps and on the Flat and he splits his time between ourselves and my brother Alistair. He’s a tall lad but he’s light and maybe he will turn professional as a conditional one day.

“His first winner was for Alastair in an amateur riders’ chase at Kelso about this time last year. He gave Baby Ticker a class ride to win at Ayr last week and he didn’t panic when they got tapped for toe at the last on the far side.”

The colours made famous by triple Grand National hero Red Rum are carried by champion jockey Brian Hughes on Luck Of Clover in the William Hill Betting TV Mares’ Handicap Hurdle. Donald Mccain’s filly, who wears cheek pieces for the first time, was an unlucky loser over course and distance four weeks ago as she was hampered and headed near the line in a dramatic three-way photo-finish.

Another set of big-race winning silks are in evidence in the concluding William Hill Racing Radio Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race. They belong to former Kelso chairman Johnny Jeffreys, owner and breeder of Flighty Bride , and were carried to victory by Sebastian V in the 1977 Scottish Grand National.

Flighty Bride is trained in Gloucestershire by Jeffreys’ nephew who is known as ‘DJ’

A lost shoe may have cost Overcourt victory on his fencing debut but S andy Thomson's six-year- old can make amends in the Follow @willi am hill racing On Twitter Novices' Handicap Chase.

After coming to win his race at Sedgefield three out, Overcourt was headed approaching the final obstacle and, though he did not shirk the issue, he was a length and three-quarters behind Mr Muldoon at the line.

It later transpired Overcourt had lost his right-fore plate.

In the circumstances, that was a fine effort, added to the fact it was also his first run since March when he scored over hurdles at Newcastle following up vic tor y at this course in February. He will have learned plenty from his first public experience over fences and can go one better.