(2 minutes read)
Cheltenham Racecourse may be some distance from north of the border, but that does not stop Musselburgh Racecourse from rightfully getting involved with attracting entrants for Cheltenham Festival 2025!
We are therefore extremely excited to preview the bet365 Musselburgh Scottish Cheltenham Trials Raceday taking place this Saturday!
We preview the three ITV Racing televised races including The bet365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle, The bet365 Scottish County Handicap Hurdle and The bet365 Scottish Champion Chase.
Best odds and best bets from the race day sponsors bet365 along with our usual partners William Hill, Bet Victor, Betfred and Boylesports.
Race 1: The bet365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle 1352 Musselburgh
A very exciting and open looking contest to kick off proceedings at this meeting. Two of the entrants feature in the betting for The Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival 2025, namely, race favourite Maitre En Science (40/1 bet365 NRNB) and Hossamm (80/1 bet365 NRNB).
Maitre En Science, a French import, has recently been acquired by the Harry Derham training team and shaped up well in his last run in France, a conditions hurdle over very testing conditions.
A small improvement on that run might be good enough to win here but the problems that the Derham yard have experienced recently, including flooded gallops from last November’s storms and a winless run lasting 40 races, presents some doubt. However, the team did break the poor spell with a win at Newcastle on Tuesday.
Paul Nicholls has entered Nardaran and should improve on last run where he finished fourth in a listed juvenile hurdle at Kempton where he pulled hard most of the race. But the value lies with Hosaamm who ran gamely to win a juvenile hurdle race at Wetherby over Christmas.
Best Odds
Maitre En Science 11/4 bet365
Nardaran 100/30 bet365
Hosaamm 8/1 bet365
SELECTION: HOSAAMM EACH WAY
Race 2: The bet365 Scottish County Handicap Hurdle 1417 Musselburgh
Race sponsors bet365 are offering 4 places instead of the standard 3 for all each way bets.
Very competitive and open looking handicap hurdle. Afadil trained by Paul Nicholls leads the market. He can boast a course and distance win going back to this time last year but has spiralled down the handicap after a host of considerable defeats. True, he is now well handicapped and only 2ibs higher than when the horse won over course and distance.
However, there is more worthy appeal elsewhere. If you are looking for consistency, look no further than Balhambar who has been hitting the crossbar on many occasions and should be involved at the business end but probably lacks each way appeal at 6/1 best (bet365).
Considering trainer Lucinda Russell’s good record at the track (5 wins from 20), Old Gregorian is worth noting especially with his level of consistency. He’s notched up a couple wins over 2 miles in lower class company but wouldn’t have to improve a great deal on those wins to figure here.
SELECTION: OLD GREGORIAN EACH WAY
Best Odds
Afadil 4/1 bet365
Balhambar 6/1 bet365
Old Gregorian 8/1 bet365, William Hill
Race 3: bet365 Scottish Champion Chase 1450 Musselburgh
Race sponsors bet365 are offering 4 places instead of the standard 3 for all each way bets.
The feature race on the Musselburgh card is a mid-distance valuable handicap which could get very competitive considering there are five course and distance winners in the field.
There is a strong favourite in the shape of the Nicky Richards trained The Kalooki Kid. He has been in consistent form and is versatile in terms of the going he will appreciate the predicted good to soft conditions. He also boasts a course and distance win dating back to 2023 and looks well handicapped.
Marble Sands trained by Nick Slatter follows a similar profile whilst the each way value may come from course specialist Lucinda Russell, who saddles course and distance winner Corrigeen Rock.
The most significant market move has been for the Harry Derham entry Fidelio Vallis, who also has a course and distance win under his belt. The horse has the beating of Corrigeen Rock in that win and with the stable returning to normality after the flooding issues, punters are latching onto a possible return to form. At odds of 10/1 (Bet Victor) or 9/1 with bet365 and paying four places, this seems a prudent gamble.
Best Odds
The Kalooki Kid 9/4 William Hill, Bet Victor, Betfred and Boylesports
Corrigeen Rock 12/1 bet365 paying 4 places
Fidelio Vallis 10/1 Bet Victor
SELECTION: FIDELIO VALLIS EACH WAY
Please note all odds are correct at the time of publishing (10:30am 31th January 2025) and are subject to change.
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