What a day it was at Musselburgh recently when Scottish trainers saddled the winners of six of the nine races.

 

So again, a big well done to Keith Dalgleish, who had a double, Alistair Whillans, Iain Jardine, Katie Scott and Linda Perratt.

 

And Jim Goldie, fresh from a treble at Ayr two earlier, nearly got in on the act too as Primo’s Comet was only pipped by a neck in the featured sprint handicap.

 

I particularly liked the performance of Keith’s Heights Of Abraham in the opening juvenile contest. After an encouraging debut over six-furlongs, he was bred to get further and enjoyed every yard of this longer trip and was well on top at the end. He is definitely one to keep an eye on.

 

Even Scottish handlers better known for their jumpers have been among the winners and they include Jackie Stephen who is Britain’s most northerly-based trainer.

 

Based at Inverurie in Aberdeenshire, Jackie sent Lovely Schtuff on a 540-mile round trip to score at Sedgefield on Thursday.

 

Running for the second time since wind surgery, the 11-1 chance – a winning point to pointer – was landing his first race under Rules and was a wee bit unlucky at Perth the time before as was badly hampered and unseated his rider when still bang in contention.

 

With the big Ayr Gold Cup festival on the horizon, it’s good to see the home team in such good form.

 

Speaking of Ayr, the weights are out for the Gold Cup, now sponsored by QTS.

 

Allocated top-weight of 9st 13lb is David O’Meara’s recent Unibet Stewards’ Cup hero Summerghand, who was fourth in the big Ayr dash last year.

 

The highest-rated three-year-old is Mark Johnston-trained Meraas, winner of the Scottish Stewards’ Cup at Hamilton Park in July, who is due to shoulder 9st 11lb.

 

Four-time Ayr Gold Cup-winning trainer Kevin Ryan has Wokingham scorer Hey Jonesy on 9st 4lb and Major Jumbo on just 1lb higher.

 

Looking to the week ahead, fingers are crossed the recent wet weather abates for Hamilton Park on Tuesday evening and there is also an afternoon card at Musselburgh on Sunday, a meeting which was originally pencilled in the 2020 fixture list for Friday.

 

Unless there is any change, the first race at Hamilton Park is due off at 4.40pm and the last of seven at 7.45pm. The feature event is the Flower Of Scotland EBF Fillies Handicap over 1m 68yds.

 

RacingTV sponsored the bulk of the races at Musselburgh on Sunday when the first is scheduled for 2.20pm. The British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Auction Stakes for two-year-olds over 7f is the most valuable event on the card.