Whillans eyes up Musselburgh prize

● Hawick trainer hopes to strike with Alexandrakollontai

Alexandrakollontai bids for her first course win in the EBF Stallions Breeding Winners Fillies’ Handicap at Musselburgh tonight.

Trained at Hawick by Alistair Whillans, she takes on four rivals in the £15,000 seven-furlong contest as she attempts to add to her tally of ten career victories. Whillans said: “When we first got her we thought she needed soft ground but she won back in the spring at Leicester on good to firm. You can’t come from too far back at Musselburgh, and that’s her style of running, but with only five runners and good prize money it’s worth taking a chance.”

Among the opposition to Alexandrakollontai is Keith Dalgleish-trained Invoke, a two-time course and distance scorer who made all for an impressive success in this race 12 months ago. Mark Johnston’s Hawatif is another live contender. The Kingsley House raider won back-toback handicaps in July at York and Glorious Goodwood.

Earlier on the card, Johnston, pictured, will be hopeful that Zamindo can make a winning start to his handicap career in the St Andrews Timber Handicap.

Elsewhere, Early Morning can claim a second successive win at Ascot in the Stella Artois Handicap.

The Harry Dunlop-trained grey has a likeable profile having finished in the first three on nine of his 15 competitive appearances, passing the post in front on four occasions. Following wins at Kempton and Haydock in 2015 his mark rose from 77 to 100 and while he was unable to make an impact in either the London Mile at Kempton or the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket on his final two starts of the year, he has bounced back this term.

A comeback win at Lingfield was followed by an excellent effort to finish a close-up eighth in the Royal Hunt Cup.

He was disappointing on his next start at York, but benefited from a return to Ascot’s straight-mile when hitting the bullseye at the Shergar Cup, providing Hayley Turner with a winner on her mini comeback. He is now back on a three-figure rating, but this venue clearly brings out the best in him.

At Kempton, Newbury runner-up Syndicate can go one better in the Longines Irish Champions Weekend EBF Fillies’ Conditions Stakes.