Gordon Brown – Race Reporter
Gordon has a wealth of experience of racing through his background in the written and broadcast media. His current principle role is reporting and supporting the scene in Scotland on Racing TV and relaying the latest news with Scottish angles.
CAPTAIN CATTISTOCK landed a gamble when winning the £50,000 bet365 Edinburgh National on a wet and blustery afternoon at Musselburgh.
Available earlier at 7/1, he was a well-backed 3/1 scorer under Liam Harrison, who was enjoying just his second strike at the East Lothian venue.
The winner, trained by Fergal O’Brien, won the Scottish Festival Trials opening day feature a shade cosily by three quarters of a length from The Wolf.
Harrison said: “I’m absolutely delighted. It’s a great race to win, its great prize money and I’m over the moon.
“He’s the type of horse who always saves a bit so he’s ideal for these kind of races. It was a good honest test run at a decent gallop but he was always in his comfort zone.
“It was his first run since May when he pulled up at Haydock last time and he didn’t like the ground. As we saw today he is much better than that and it’s great to ride a nice Saturday winner.”
Bardenstown Lad is heading to Cheltenham next month after an impressive success in the Scottish Stayers’ Novices’ Hurdle.
He slammed Where It All Began by eleven-lengths to give Brian Hayes a maiden winner at Musselburgh on his first ride at the track.
Winning trainer John McConnell said: “We’ve always liked this horse that’s why we’ve looked after him and gave him a break after his win at Cheltenham in October.
“The target now is the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival. He’s conceded a penalty today and he is well worth his place in the line-up.”
Jamie Snowden-trained Kiltealy Briggs is also Cheltenham bound following his battling success in the Frodon Novices’ Chase.
Owner Max McNeill said: “He’s tough alright and he was disgraced in a Grade 1 at Kempton over Christmas. We’re looking at running him in the Ultima Handicap Chase, which is a race we sponsor.”