Struth’s looking set to shine in Queen’s Cup

CHARLIE Johnston has no doubt aimed Struth at the Virgin Bet Queen’s Cup at Musselburgh all winter and the plan can come to fruition today.

With £100,000 up for grabs in the Edinburgh venue’s richest race, not surprisingly a highly competitive field of 14 has been declared.

Struth looks just the type to take his form to a new level this season, not that he was operating in sellers and claimers last year, far from it.

The last time he was seen, he went out on his sword in the November Handicap, which had been rearranged at Newcastle - on what was his 11th run of the season.

That is not unusual for one from the yard but he held his form remarkably well, only finishing outside of the top four at Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood and in the Silver Bell at Hamilton, all hugely competitive races.

He likes to force the pace, tactics which can pay dividends at Musselburgh,

and having been gelded since he last ran, there could be even more in the locker this season.

Individualism can give the yard another winner in the Virgin Bet Royal Mile Handicap. Owned by proud Scot Dr Jim Walker, he is another who is likely to have been aimed at this contest for some months. He showed a decent level of ability in four outings last year without winning but promises to thrive for this step up in trip, given his halfbrother is Walker’s brilliant Gold Cup winner Subjectivist.

Poet Master has the look of a Group horse in a handicap for Karl Burke. The lightly-raced four-yearold won three of his four outings last year, signing off with an easy victory in quite a valuable affair at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting.

That success forced the handicapper to give him a mark of 100 but with Burke already among the winners and his proven ability with cut in the ground, it will be slightly disappointing if Poet Master fails to win the Virgin Bet Silver Arrow Handicap before moving on to bigger and better things.

Burke’s Looking For Lynda appears to reserve his best for this track so might be a bit of value in the Virgin Bet Scottish Sprint Cup Handicap. Only four, he has plenty of time to improve this season.

Dan Skelton’s Playful Saint arrives as the freshest horse in the My Pension Expert Challenger Two Mile Hurdle Series Final Handicap Hurdle at Haydock. Skelton had plenty to choose from at the five-day stage but it looks informative that he has gone down this route, given he also held an entry in the Sussex Champion Hurdle which was worth more money. Given every penny counts as Skelton battles with his old boss Paul

Nicholls for the title, he must view this race as more winnable.

The nine-year-old was a beaten favourite at Stratford the day before Cheltenham but that was his first run of the season, so he is entitled to come on a good deal for it and can be expected to turn the tables on Milldam, who beat him.

Playful Saint’s third in last year’s Imperial Cup is the best bit of form on offer.

Riders Onthe Storm looks the class act in the Unibet Middle Distance Veterans’ Handicap Chase Finale. The 11-year-old might not be the force of old, but his second to Homme Public last time out shows he is still capable.

Nicholls sends Largy Poet all the way from his Ditcheat base to Carlisle for the Hospice At Home Charity Partner 2024 Novices’ Hurdle and the hint should be taken. He arrives on a hat-trick following wins at Exeter and Wincanton and a double penalty should not stop him.

ENGLAND withstood a spirited performance from New Zealand to win the fifth T20 by five wickets and complete a 4-1 series victory.

The visitors were easing towards their target of 137 with Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight’s classy stand of 57.

The White Ferns then fought back to dismiss both set batters in the 18th and 19th overs. But Sophia Dunkley held her nerve, hitting her second ball for four to win with seven balls to spare.

Earlier, the hosts slipped to

31-4 and 69-5 after choosing to bat first, but Izzy Gaze’s unbeaten 51 from 28 balls led a recovery to 136-6.