South Shore wasn't able to get to the outsider, but Tipsy Tiger managed to get a victory in the stewards' room.
I'm in two minds about the decision to reverse the placements in the Tipsy Tiger race. I think they came to the right decision, and I might be biased because I tipped the winner, but I've seen a lot worse not reversed, so I guess it all comes down to consistency. It's very similar to VAR in the Premier League and some of the refereeing decisions; if they weren't consistent, it wouldn't be a problem.
South Shore wasn't able to make it four winners from the last four tips, but did run a solid race in defeat. I have no problems with the defeat; he was positioned to win if he was good enough. The winner was simply better on the day and did enjoy being slightly closer to the pace.
Nostrum 11/2 – Musselburgh 2.13
It takes a relatively big leap of faith when you back Nostrum, as he hasn't been in the best form for a very long time. He used to be a very smart horse during his first couple of seasons of racing when he was trained by Sir Michael Stoute, but he has been on the decline ever since.
David O'Meara didn't manage to find the key to unlock Nostrum, and Michael Appebly hasn't managed it either, but he has gotten closer than David did. His best runs came earlier in the season, with the second at Sandown in a Class 3 being his best effort, finishing behind Boyfriend. They've tried him over a mile, seven furlongs and today's trip, and it's hard to say what he really needs.
The main problem with Nostrum is that he is a keen-going horse, so you'd think that he'd like a shorter trip, but he simply doesn't have the pace. I think this trip is probably what he needs, but it all comes down to whether he settles. A small field like today is ideal for him, and Musselburgh suits front runners, which Nostrum's best form this season has been a product of. There are other pace angles in this race, which is a concern, but his rating continues to fall, and this race is a seller, so the weights are all over the place, and that gives him a chance.
Appleby has a solid record at the track, and this is the shorter-odds runner of the pair that he sends up.
As for the other runners, I thought Stott on the favourite was interesting. Mark Winn rides a lot more for O'Meara, yet he finds himself on the second favourite, who I don't really like. The Haslam horse is in good form, but is carrying a hefty weight, and the others don't appeal to me, which is why Nostrum was my selection amongst the reasons I've stated above.
Ina Mina 11/4 – Catterick 5.25
After looking through the rest of the Musselburgh card and the Catterick card, nothing stood out as a bet until I saw Ina Mina running.
This is Terence O'Brien's first-ever UK runner on the flat, which speaks volumes about the chance that he believes this horse has. Terrence is predominantly an Irish jumps trainer, but he has sent over horses to the UK over obstacles, and has had a few winners. It's very interesting that this is his first ever runner on the flat across the Irish Sea.
This horse's form has turned around since tackling better ground over the jumps, as shown by winning his last two starts. Prior to that, he was encountering very poor ground, which isn't what he enjoys, and from the look at the forecast at Catterick, the ground should deteriorate to good at the very worst, with only a couple of millimetres of rain expected to land.
I think we are getting good odds on this Irish raider due to Sir Mark Prescott's horse making an appearance, and his horses are always well-supported in the market, but it doesn't mean they are guaranteed to win. I'm more than happy to take the favourite on, with this filly being in very good form at the moment.
GambleAware