Mick Easterby’s Lightening Rod tipped to shine at Musselburgh (From Gazette & Herald)

Mick Easterby’s Lightening Rod tipped to shine at Musselburgh

11:20am Saturday 4th February 2012 in Sport By Tom O'Ryan, Racing journalist

Lightening Rod, who got no further than the third fence at Catterick on his latest outing, is napped to win for North Yorkshire stalwart Mick Easterby at Musselburgh tomorrow.

Officials at the course are optimistic that racing will go ahead as planned and escape the wintry conditions which have caused havoc with jumping fixtures in the last few days.

Although an inspection of the course will take place at 7am tomorrow, fingers are tightly crossed, not least by Easterby, that this valuable meeting will get the green light.

Lightening Rod unseated his rider at the third fence at Catterick last time, but he had previously finished a good second to the potentially top-class Sprinter Sacre at Doncaster and had previously won at Hexham.

A strong-travelling pacey individual, Lightening Rod is normally a pretty accurate jumper.

He will have the assistance tomorrow of the experienced Dominic Elsworth in the John Smith’s Scottish Champion Chase, which carries £20,000 in prize money. He is taken to take the lion’s share of the purse.

Richard Fahey is another North Yorkshire trainer on the trail of a useful prize. The Malton handler saddles Ingleby Spirit in the £20,000 John Smith’s Scottish County Hurdle and Brian Hughes’ mount is expected to make a bold show.

Ingleby Spirit, a novice, has taken well to hurdles in his first season and has won his last two races on this course. He is now up against experienced handicappers and does not exactly look leniently treated, but he is a horse in form with more to offer. He should go well.

Nicky Henderson, starved of action this week, has two good chances at the meeting.

The Lambourn trainer is fancied to lift the Buy Your 2012 Annual Members Badge Today Handicap Hurdle with Thanks For Coming, a winner at Sandown two starts ago and a creditable third at Market Rasen on his latest outing.

Keys, also trained by Henderson, will surely start at cramped odds in the Scottish Countryside Alliance Novices’ Hurdle.

A useful bumper horse and Flat winner, this talented five-year-old has had only one outing so far over hurdles and finished second to the useful Cinders And Ashes at Aintree. That was a very respectable performance and Keys can go one better this time.

Scottish trainer Lucinda Russell, who sent out two winners at Newcastle in midweek, can continue her fine form with Bold Sir Brian in the John Smith’s Future Champions Novices’ Chase.

A Grade 2 hurdle winner last season, Bold Sir Brian has won his last two starts over fences and is beginning to look like a smart fencer in the making.

Peter Buchanan will again be in the saddle as he bids for a hat-trick.

In the John Smith’s Scottish Triumph Hurdle, Creekside, trained at Newmarket by John Ferguson, is fancied to follow up his debut success at Catterick last month.

The four-year-old scored that day from Uncle Bryn, and while the John Quinn-trained runner-up takes him on again on 5lb better terms, Creekside looked comfortably on top at the finish at Catterick and may be able to confirm his superiority.

At Lingfield this afternoon, make a note of Fahey’s consistent course winner Tarooq in the featured Bet At Blue Square Handicap with Tony Hamilton in the saddle, and also Diamond Vine in the Blue Square Sprint Series Handicap (qualifier).

racing selections

Lingfield (today)
12.55 Crocodile Bay, 1.22 Marvo, 2.00 Fantasy Fighter, 2.30 Diamond Vine, 3.00 Tarooq, 3.35 Art Scholar, 4.05 Falcon’s Reign, 4.35 Roxelana.

Today’s other meetings: Ffos Las (inspection 9am today), Lingfield and Wolverhampton.

The meetings at Sandown and Wetherby have been abandoned.

Musselburgh (tomorrow)
1.30 Thanks For Coming, 2.00 Keys, 2.30 Lightening Rod (NAP), 3.00 Creekside, 3.30 Bold Sir Brian, 4.00 Ingleby Spirit, 4.30 Simonsberg.

Inspection 7am tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s other meetings: Fontwell (inspection 12.30pm today) and Kempton.