SPORT Crotchet to strike again

CROTCHET can feel the full benefit of Connor Murtagh’s 5lb allowance in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Scottish Premier Fillies’ Handicap at Musselburgh.

The three-year-old’s mark has been on the rise of late as she has been running well enough, with a victory at the Edinburgh track last month the high point of her year.

Eked up 3lb by the handicapper for that verdict, Crotchet fell half a length short back at the same course last time, with her mark subsequently unchanged on 85.

Murtagh’s claim puts her right back in the mix here, though, and the way she kept on over seven furlongs that day suggests this step up to a mile should be well within her compass.

The UBS Wealth Management Confined Handicap is for horses that have yet to win a race this year, and Ocelot can ensure she strikes her name from that list by lifting the five-furlong prize.

Robert Cowell’s runner may not have got her head in front yet - but she has consistently been on the premises, finishing no worse than sixth in seven starts in 2018.

Her luckless run has seen her rating fall from a starting point of 79 to her current perch of 73, which is only 1lb higher than her last winning mark in July 2017.

Obviously she is now without a win in over a year, but she has shown more than enough spark to suggest it is just a matter of time.

Persian Moon can bounce back from a disappointing effort in Listed company last time by winning the Investec Conditions Stakes at Epsom.

Having finished third in the Acomb on his penultimate start, Persian Moon was understandably well fancied at Haydock but the combination of stepping up to a mile on heavy ground proved his undoing.

Mark Johnston gives him another chance over an extended mile here, and back on quicker going Persian Moon should be able to bounce back.