Honest Toun for Graystown

● Coltherd’s horse eyes Musselburgh win ● But track subject to morning inspection

There is plenty of Scottish interest in the feature race at Musselburgh today although the meeting is subject to an 8:30am inspection.

After sub-zero temperatures at the weekend, the East Lothian venue was reported to be frozen yesterday but no frost was expected last night and a raceday high of 6°C to 7°C is forecast.

Clerk of the course Harriet Graham said: “We wouldn’t have been able to race today [Sunday] but the forecast for Monday is positive and hopefully the thaw will begin overnight to give us a chance.”

Five of the eight declared runners in the £10,000 Get So Much More With Racing TV Handicap Chase are trained north of the border, including Graystown who was an early casualty on his most recent outing. His Selkirk trainer Stuart

Coltherd said: “We’re hoping for better luck this time as he came down at the first fence at Hexham. The only other time he has been to Musselburgh was during his hurdling days and the trip and ground should be fine for him.”

The other Scottish runners in the 2m 4f contest are Lucinda Russell pair Effet Special and The Road Home, Nick Alexander’s Benny’s Secret and Sandy Thomson-trained John Williams.

Richard Johnson has the first of his three mounts on Avoid de Master in the racingtv.com Novices’ Hurdle.

The four-time champion jockey has partnered 20 winners from his previous 105 rides at Musselburgh.

Meanwhile, Cornerstone Lad and Honeysuckle raised their profiles with Grade One wins on either side of the Irish Sea.

Honeysuckle was enhancing a reputation already significant enough to instal her as 9-10 favourite for yesterday’s Baroneracing.com Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Cornerstone Lad pulled off a surprise all-the-way victory by a short head from dual Champion Hurdler Buveur D’air in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle.

Buveur D’air suffered a freak injury when a splinter became lodged just above his hoof.

That was no fault of Micky Hammond’s Cornerstone Lad, who battled on gamely under Henry Brooke to narrowly repel the long odds-on favourite and provide both trainer and jockey with a first Grade One success.

Henry de Bromhead’s Honeysuckle came of age in open company at the top level by trouncing Bacardys and threetime Hatton’s Grace winner Apple’s Jade by nine lengths and upwards.

With her success, De Bromhead’s five-year-old mare was joining Envoi Allen and Fakir D’oudairies in signalling championship class after their respective wins in the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle and Drinmore Novice Chase.

A delighted De Bromhead said: “She was brilliant, and even I could enjoy it a bit.”

He now faces a choice between campaigns which lead to either the Mares’ or Champion Hurdle for Honeysuckle at Cheltenham.

At Newbury, Emma Lavelle was the trainer taking the plaudits for De Rasher Counter’s decisive one-and-a-halflength win under 5lb claimer Ben Jones, in one of the season’s most highly-prized handicaps.

The Ladbrokes Trophy, formerly the Hennessy, has been the springboard for many champions down the years.