Sunday’s UK racing tips come your way from the meeting at Musselburgh on 4 February 2024.
MUSSELBURGH
Race 1 – LIARI 13/8
LIARI can maintain his unbeaten record for Paul Nicholls in the bet365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle.
A winner on his hurdling debut at Wincanton in October, the son of Cracksman looked to have raised his game significantly when following up in Listed company at Aintree.
His task is not straightforward in Scotland, with Cheltenham winner An Bradan Feasa a worthy rival, but Liari is fancied to come out on top.
Race 2 – BEAU BALKO 13/8
BEAU BALKO represents a top jockey and trainer. The six-year-old brings strong form with a pair of runner-up efforts at Wincanton and Hereford over 2m during December. Leading chance.
Cedar Hill won at this festival in 2022. Unlucky to fall here New Years Day and may return to best form. Mint Gold scored by 1.25L a course and distance handicap chase two runs ago. Interesting.
Race 3 – TITANIUM MOON 9/2
TITANIUM MOON maintains excellent winning form having won her past four outings including last July at Stratford by 8L over 2m. Top chance.
Hypotenus ran well at Fairyhouse when third tackling a G3 hurdle over 2m. Rates highly. Panjari placed third in a 2m1f Cheltenham handicap hurdle two starts ago and cannot be dismissed.
Race 4 – ABSOLUTE NOTIONS 9/2
Gordon Elliott’s Irish raider ABSOLUTE NOTIONS can prove a class apart in the Pertemps Network Group Handicap Hurdle.
The 2022 Goffs Land Rover Bumper winner mixed it with the very best as a novice hurdler last season, finishing third behind subsequent Grade One winner Inthepocket in a Grade Two at Naas before filling the runner-up spot behind Good Land at the Dublin Racing Festival on this weekend 12 months ago.
Absolute Notions was disappointingly pulled up when favourite to bag a Grade One victory of his own at Aintree in the spring, with his trainer putting the performance down to the rain-softened ground.
The six-year-old made light of testing conditions when making a successful reappearance at Fairyhouse in November, but he was a 1-12 shot that day, so he was entitled to win whatever the terrain.
Elliott has continually insisted his charge will be better on a sounder surface and switching to handicap company for the first time with a mark of 143, he should prove hard to beat.
Race 5 – TOMMY’S OSCAR 7/1
TOMMY’S OSCAR has been given plenty of time to recover from that effort and his recent form suggests he is simply a better horse over the larger obstacles these days.
He is perhaps more comfortable over two miles than over the two-and-a-half he encounters this weekend, but Musselburgh is a sharp track and the ground is rarely testing, so he might just get away with it.
