There is always a comparative lull in the UK racing calendar between the Epsom Derby and Royal Ascot. However, race planners have done their best to fill that gap this Saturday with seven meetings including two Group 3 races and a Listed race at Haydock. However, the big betting race for punters this weekend is probably the Edinburgh Gin’s Scottish Sprint Cup at Musselburgh.
Scottish Sprint Cup Trends
- Eleven of the last 13 winners on this 6f handicap were aged between four and six
- Ten of the last 11 winners were officially rated between 93 and 104
- Four of the first five last year and a single-figure draw but an earlier running of this race on good to firm ground saw those drawn high dominate
Line Of Reason (12/1 with Ladbrokes) carries 7lb less than when successful last year but was behind El Astronaute (a best 6/1 with 888sport) last time at York. That said, the latter was only seventh in the Scottish Sprint Cup last season and also behind Caspian Prince, who is available at a general 16/1.
Dark Shot (12/1 with 888sport) and Major Jumbo (a general 8/1) were just behind El Astronaute at York last month and have every chance of reversing the form on revised terms. The latter’s trainer, John Quinn, also runs recent Thirsk winner Soie D’leau and Line Of Reason’s handler Paul Midgley is triple-handed with Newmarket scorer Move In Time (a general 8/1) and Orvar lining up alongside last year’s hero.
Tim Easterby is another saddling a trio of runners and there is no northern stable in better form right now than the main man at Great Habton. Excessable probably has a bit to find and that fact is respected in general odds of 33/1 but you just can’t write off either COPPER KNIGHT or ORION’S BOW.
This is one of those occasions when it may pay to back a couple of runners to equal stakes. Both are available at a general 12/1 and an each-way bet on both would see you at least recover your stake if either finished in the first four, providing the remaining 16 runners all stand their ground. Copper Knight ran Battaash to three lengths off level weights at Sandown at this time last year. He’s only a pound higher than when winning earlier at York and a run at that track last month should have blown away any cobwebs. David Allan rides so he is presumably the stable’s first choice but Orion’s Bow should not be underestimated.
Sandwiched between likely trail-blazers Caspian Prince and Soie D’leau, the seven-year-old should get a nice tow into the race. He looked really well at York last time and is 15lb lower than when favourite for the Scottish Sprint Cup last year, when he didn’t get a lot of luck in-running when beaten four lengths, though could probably have done with some rain to take the sting out of the ground.
Scottish Sprint Cup Current Best Odds
El Astronaute 6/1, Major Jumbo and Move In Time 8/1, Copper Knight, Dark Shot, Line Of Reason, Soie D’leau and Orion’s Bow 12/1, Merhoob 14/1, Orvar , Caspian Prince, Ornate and Mayleaf Shine 16/1, , Fendale 20/1, El Hombre 25/1, Excessable 33/1
