Glorious Hearts to boost Musselburgh

MUSSELBURGH racecourse and Hearts team up to provide a great day out on the East Lothian track next Saturday that looks set to attract a record crowd.

Advance bookings are at a record level with the Scottish Cup being paraded up the track on an open-topped bus and the players who earned the Tynecastle club a place in the Champions League will be mingling with the crowd.

There will also be coaching classes for youngsters throughout the afternoon and the action on the track kicks off with a mascot grand national when mascots from 11 football clubs will line up for the 100-metre dash prior to racing.

"It promises to be a great day," said racecourse boss Bill Farnsworth. "The Cup will be on display throughout the afternoon and fans can be photographed with the trophy and the players.

"Advance bookings are way above anything we have experienced in the past and if it's a fine day, we could easily get a record crowd."

It's Epsom Derby day and the Classic will be shown live while Channel 4 cameras will be covering three races from Musselburgh .

"We have some decent racing with an £18,000 stayers handicap and two £10,000 races," added Farnsworth "and we are hoping to have a major local sponsor backing the whole day."

Newmarket provide good sport tomorrow when Balanced Budget looks a banker bet in the Lets Go with "One" Railway to Newmarket Handicap (3.15pm). The three-year-old did not make the track as a juvenile, but showed bags of promise when sixth on his debut over a mile at Newbury in April.

He loved the step up to ten furlongs when winning at Pontefract recently where he stayed on strongly up the hill to beat Barodine by two-and-a-half lengths and he should hold Henry Cecil's charge again.

Excusez Moi won at Yarmouth early last term and later turned in some good efforts in tough company, especially when third in Listed company at the Epsom Derby fixture and runner-up on this track in August.

He also ran well when fourth in a big field for a valuable sprint at York and can make a successful return to action despite top weight in the Taking People Places with "One" Railway Handicap (3.50pm).

Trainer Clive Brittain has his team in good form and Kerrin McAvoy takes the ride, while Ripples Maid can complete a hat-trick in the One Railway Fillies Handicap (4.55).

She showed promise on her only outing last autumn and has won both her races this year Lingfield and Bath. She comes from a stable whose inmates always seem best on easy ground, so conditions will be in her favour.

The Irish stage their first Classic this weekend and Confidential Lady can make the trip across St George's Channel pay off by taking the Boylesports Irish 1000 Guineas (3.35pm) at The Curragh.

Her four wins last year included a major juvenile fillies event in France and she was her trainer's first-ever Classic runner when an excellent second in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Taken from the Scotsman