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Edinburgh Cup preview

There's some decent racing up in Scotland today too, the Edinburgh Cup has assembled a quality field, and Dan Kelly covers this one too.

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It's not all Camelot, Camelot, Camelot here in British Racing, as Musselburgh hold a great card of their own today, feature being the £50,000 Edinburgh Gold Cup, and they haven't been let down with the quality of runners in recent years. Harris Tweed won this in 2010, with the likes of Corsica and Zuider Zee behind, 2011 was won by Eternal Heart, Namibian and Colour Vision behind him. Form of the race will definitely hold up as many of the unlucky losers, actually are just that given the nature of the track, tight right hand sharp track, and if you are looking at closers you need all the luck in the world here.

Reviewing the last two runnings just shows how much Mark Johnston targets this race with beaten runners like Corisca, Namibian and Colour Vision ending up Group winners, and his runners today are certainly worth closer attention.

It's hard to rate a horse who ran on his own, was did he benefit from running alone on better ground etc, but Maastricht has to be one of the likelier winners of this event. Dam a Gr3 1m1f US winner, and out of Tiger Hill, no surprise to see him come into his own when facing a test, ended 2yo days with a shd defeat in a Bath handicap, but that doesn't tell the story has he fended off challenges throughout, headed in last stride, 8 days after breaking his maiden tag at Beverley, as such a bit of a surprise to see him go off 25s at Newmarket. That Newmarket race does look solid though, Suraj is well thought of by Michael Bell when reading his blog notes, Handsome Man wasn't given a great ride behind Expense Claim at Salisbury by Ted Durcan, returned to winning form for Frankie here and is the best form any runner has to offer. Drawn in 6 Joe Fanning is certainly going to look to make it, and being on the pace is a big help here.

Another Johnston runners deserves a closer look and that is Bordoni. Out of a Oaks placed mare who later ran in US Turf Races, and sired by Bernardini, I wouldn't be too worried by defeats at Catterick and Chester on bottomless ground. His Kempton run behind Theturnofthesun who had the best possible trip is solid, he is dropped 1lb for that, he is bound to improve for the better ground, and given the yards short history with the race then 25s is a little bit of an insult.

As said earlier, unlucky runners are worth close attention following from this race, and I have no doubt that there will be some unlucky stories here. Commitment looks destined for Ascot Handicap, but Cumani has already expressed slight doubts about the track, Ruacana needed ever yard of Chepstow galloping straight to win last time out, so don't be too surprised if this race housed something like a Melrose winner within the beaten horses.

1pt Win Maastricht @ 7s + 0.5pt WIn Bordoni @ 25s +

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