Lucinda Russell could be celebrating again

Musselburgh preview and tips Sunday February 2 | Sweet repeat at Musselburgh

By Ed Watson

Horse Racing

Sun February 02, 2025 · 1M ago

Scottish Sun columnist and Racing TV analyst Ed Watson brings us his tips and the inside track ahead of Musselburgh's action this weekend.

Musselburgh’s Scottish Cheltenham Trials Weekend continues on Sunday, with the Edinburgh National the pick of four races being shown live on ITV1. Scottish Sun columnist and Racing TV analyst Ed Watson has run the numbers - and is sweet on the chances of a repeat result in the four-mile feature.

THE BIG RACE BET

INIS OIRR (2.25)

Genuine good ground could see Cadell raise his game to a new level tackling a marathon trip for the first time. He’s a potential Scottish National contender for the yard of Lucinda Russell that did the Edinburgh-Scottish double with Mighty Thunder four years ago; although some improved fluency over his fences will be needed if Cadell is to fulfil all of his potential.

Russell has a strong hand in this as she aims for a third win in Musselburgh’s longest race of the season. INIS OIRR did a demolition job on his 11 rivals last year, helping to force a relentless pace that had the field well strung out by the final circuit. Only three remained in touch turning for home, yet they were all seen off by the second-last as Inis Oirr kept pouring it on and surged clear like a horse who could have gone round again.

He came down at halfway in the Scottish National after that, and hasn’t won in four runs this time around. Yet there’s been enough promise in those efforts to think the handicapper might be left looking red-faced for dropping him a collective 9lb this term. He’s now only 5lb higher than for his 21-length rout of Enrilo 12 months ago, yet he’ll effectively be running off the same mark on Sunday once you factor in the 5lb claim of experienced conditional Alan Doyle, who’s been on board Inis Oirr for his last two starts, at Ascot and Market Rasen.

Perhaps significantly, Russell has also switched up the headgear again. Having put a visor on Inis Oirr for the first time last year, replacing a brief flirtation with cheekpieces, Russell is now reaching for a pair of blinkers. Assuming that new headgear has a similarly positive effect, and Doyle employs the same positive tactics that worked so well for the currently sidelined Derek Fox, Inis Oirr looks overpriced at double-digit odds to become the first two-time winner of this contest.

The Inside Track: “Inis Oirr had a visor on first time when he won this race last year but we’re trying him in blinkers now, just to mix things up a bit! I was happy with his run at Market Rasen last time. It was probably a bit better than he ran in the same race last year. He likes Musselburgh and we’ve aimed him at the race again. Cadell is the improver in the field. If he benefits from the longer trip, which we expect him to, then it should put him right there. He wants good ground. He doesn’t go on soft. He’s Scu’s pick of the pair, but Inis Oirr is mine!” - Lucinda Russell, trainer

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THE BEST BET

MY NOBLE LORD (4.34)

Some minor reservations about the suitability of Musselburgh aside, MY NOBLE LORD has to be backed to take advantage of a 14lb weight-for-age allowance on his handicap debut.

The JP McManus-owned four-year-old has come up short in Grade 2 juvenile events at Cheltenham (behind East India Dock) and Chepstow the last twice, but an opening mark of 114 may well underestimate his ability stepping up to a more suitable trip 2m4f and with his sights significantly lowered.

He was highly progressive on turf for Michael Bell during the first half of last year, winning four of his five starts at up to 1m5f. Interestingly, the last of those at Hamilton came against older horses.

With 11 starts under his belt across all codes now, Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero’s sizeable Noble Mission gelding has the experience and physical presence to more than hold his own in this kind of event. He’s Timeform top-rated to boot.

The Inside Track: “He’s just looked a bit too slow over 2m. We thought he’d be good enough for those races because he’s always worked well at home. He just wants more of a trip and probably a fence, which seems a bit of a strange thing to say about a Flat horse, but he is a proper unit. I’m not worried about going into a handicap. He’s got plenty of experience and he’s been getting more switched on with each run.” - Oliver Greenall, joint-trainer

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THE NEXT BEST

PRINCE OF PERTH (4.05)

I felt Lucinda Russell’s runner won with more in hand when making a successful handicap debut upped to 2m4f here before Christmas. He was sent off favourite when moving out to 3m at Musselburgh’s big New Year’s Day fixture, but he never seemed happy on slower ground and was quickly pulled up by his talented 7lb claimer Conner McCann after weakening markedly on the home turn.

A respiratory issue was subsequently diagnosed, for which he’s now undergone treatment, and Russell is leaving nothing to chance by also fitting the six-year-old with a tongue tie for the first time. Providing those measures do the trick, I’m prepared to take a punt at a double-figure price on Prince Of Perth, who remains open to improvement after only six career starts, proving he can handle a 6lb rise for his previous track triumph.

The Inside Track: “It wasn’t the trip that beat him last time. He flipped his soft palate, which is why we’ve had his wind done and we’re also putting a tongue tie on him. If it wasn’t for that, you’d be quite excited about him coming here. I think he’ll stay the three miles fine.” - Lucinda Russell, trainer