Tarboosh can prove the best of Midgley quartet by landing Musselburgh sprint

Scotland’s new Flat season gets underway today with a competitive seven-race meeting at Musselburgh.

In the £20,816 feature event, the Borderlescott Sprint Trophy Conditions Stakes, Paul Midgley looks the trainer to follow as he is four-handed with Merry Banter, Tanasoq, Captain Colby and Tarboosh, the likely favourite.

Yorkshire-based Midgley saddled Desert Law to score two years ago and Tarboosh was in tremendous form in the latter part of 2018, winning four times and finishing second twice in his final six starts of the campaign.

Having just recently been crowned leading jumps owner at the track, Edinburghbased Gerry Mcgladery has his eye on the Flat award at the opening meeting as his blue-and-yellow diamond colours are sported by John Ryan’s Newmarket raider Merhoob, a horse kept busy on the all-weather circuit this winter.

Spice is added to an interesting 5f dash by the presence of five-time course -and-distance winner Royal Brave. Rebecca Bastiman’s speedster will be making his 15th appearance at the East Lothian venue, where he has also been placed on five occasions.

A field of seven unraced juveniles get proceedings started for the afternoon in the Watch Racing TV Now Novice Stakes.

They include

Baileys Freedom for fourth-season Lambourn trainer Archie Watson, whose previous nine runners at Musselburgh have yielded five winners for a handsome strike-rate of 56 per cent.

Maulesden May has claims for Keith Dalgleish in the Like Racing TV On Facebook Handicap.

Three outings here have seen a win and a second for the six-year-old, who is turning out for the first time since his runner-up finish in October.

Still feasibly handicapped, he is well suited by a sound surface and there appears no reason why he will not stay this extra furlong and a half.

Dalgleish has his string in good nick and can also strike with Saint Equiano in the racingtv.com Handicap.

This one disappointed last time out at Southwell, but had previously looked an improved performer when winning at the same Nottinghamshire track, so is worth another chance.

Our Place in Loule finished last term in top form, and the dual course-and-distance winner should surely play a part in the Join Racing TV Handicap.

Elsewhere today, Lille stands out as one of the best bets on the card at Lingfield in the Ladbrokes Home Of The Odds Boost Handicap.

Her first run for Kevin Ryan following a switch from Richard Hughes – and also wind surgery – was quite a taking one, with victory at Southwell.

With just three outings to her name, it is highly likely we have not seen the limit of her ability just yet.

Singing The Blues has won his last three, and there is no reason to oppose the fourtimer in the Betway Heed Your Hunch Handicap.

Rod Millman’s four-yearold has gone up almost a stone in all since his winning spree started but he appeared to improve for the step up in trip at Wolverhampton last time, and may well do so again as he tries two miles here.

Blood Eagle can be fancied to get off the mark at the third time of asking in the Betway Novice Stakes at Wolverhampton.

The Andrew Baldingtrained colt made a nice enough debut at Chelmsford in January before heading to Lingfield a couple of weeks ago.

He did little wrong, but had the misfortune to bump into one in the shape of Cirque Royal, who looks rather smart. Compensation awaits.