Musselburgh Course Guide

Racing has taken place at the Scottish course since 1816 and Musselburgh stages racing under both codes during the year. Due to its location close to the coast, the track has a reputation of beating harsh weather during cold snaps when other meetings are abandoned.

Musselburgh’s feature races on the flat both fall in June. The Edinburgh Castle Stakes, a Class 2 event for two-year-olds and run over the minimum trip has been won by some smart youngsters, whilst the Scottish Sprint Cup, staged at the second June meeting, is a hotly-contested sprint handicap which is so popular that a consolation race is held for horses eliminated at the 48-hour declaration stage.

In recent years Musselburgh has successfully established Scottish Trials day ahead of the Cheltenham Festival. The meeting comprises of a mix of novice races and handicaps with the feature races being the Triumph Hurdle Trial and Scottish County Hurdle.

Flat Racing
Jumps Racing

Right handed, sharp. The turns at the top end of the course are particularly sharp, so the adaptability to negotiate the bends is of paramount importance. Big, long-striding, cumbersome horses are at a disadvantage on the round track, especially at races at up to nine furlongs. On the straight course the fields typically race towards the stand rail, although the deceptive camera angle can give the impression that the horse nearest the rail is further back than is actually the case. The course is one of best draining in the country, conditions rarely on the testing side.

Musselburgh used to have the tightest right-hand bend in British racing, but they’ve spent a fortune re-cambering and now you can ride into it much faster, without feeling you have to pull your mount around it. It’s a track that still suits sure-footed horses, though, and, if you’re on a nimble one when conditions are fast, you can scoot away and leave the others struggling. The 5f course is very quick indeed, despite a slight uphill incline, and, generally, you’d want to be towards the stands’ side rail.

View from the saddle: Jason Weaver

A right-handed oval track a little over a mile and a quarter in extent, almost flat with sharp bends, favouring handy types as opposed to gallopers. A polytrack strip was installed on the bend running away from the stands towards the end of 2012 in order to protect ground which tended to get worn and bare due to overuse. There are eight fences (four in each straight) or six flights of hurdles (three in each straight nowadays) to a circuit. The two-mile start is on a spur on the last bend.

The last four furlongs at Musselburgh feel as if they’re downhill and if you see a horse that comes from way off the pace there, the chances are it’s a good one. I always think a novice who wins round there, especially if it’s been ridden from behind, could be well handicapped when it goes somewhere else. Generally, it pays to be handy, especially when conditions are quick, and horses unable to make ground from off the pace can get disappointed. When it gets soft, you can afford to be a bit more patient.

View from the saddle: Mick Fitzgerald

Musselburgh Top Times
Last 5 years

Chase
Hurdle
National Hunt Flat
Flat

Distance	Horse (Going)	Date	Winning time
1m 7f 182y	Monsieur Co (Good)	28 Feb 2019	3m 46.75s
2m 195y	Wishfull Dreaming (Good to Soft)	10 Mar 2019	4m 8.2s
2m 3f 193y	Mullaghmurphy Blue (Good)	18 Dec 2017	4m 49.8s
2m 6f	Wolfcatcher (Good)	10 Dec 2018	5m 25.05s
2m 7f 170y	Rancher Lass (Good)	18 Dec 2017	5m 51.5s
3m 2f 139y	Present Flight (Good)	06 Nov 2015	6m 47s
4m 176y	Dancing Shadow (Good)	04 Feb 2017	8m 28.1s

Distance	Horse (Going)	Date	Winning time
1m 7f 124y	Lough Derg Spirit (Good)	05 Feb 2017	3m 34.9s
2m 85y	Manamite (Good)	27 Feb 2019	3m 50.3s
2m 3f 81y	Dominada (Good)	01 Jan 2017	4m 40.7s
2m 4f	Red Spinner (Good)	11 Feb 2015	4m 41.16s
2m 6f	Dizoard (Good to Firm)	07 Nov 2018	5m 23.15s
2m 7f 180y	Jet Master (Good)	01 Jan 2019	5m 46.2s
3m 110y	Dawalan (Good)	01 Feb 2015	5m 42.12s
3m 2f 26y	El Bandit (Good)	05 Feb 2017	6m 26.1s

Distance	Horse (Going)	Date	Winning time
1m 7f 124y	Alright Sunshine (Good)	28 Feb 2019	3m 28.95s
2m 85y	Hello Bob (Good)	22 Mar 2019	3m 54.3s

Distance	Horse (Going)	Date	Winning time
5f 1y	Caspian Prince (Good to Firm)	09 Jun 2018	56.77s
7f 30y	Kalk Bay (Good to Firm)	04 Jun 2016	1m 25s
1m 2y	Masarzain (Good to Firm)	30 Aug 2017	1m 38.35s
1m 1f	Ghostly Arc (Good to Firm)	09 May 2016	1m 50.46s
1m 4f 104y	Dance King (Good to Firm)	09 Jun 2018	1m 40.98s
1m 5f	Hidden Gold (Good to Firm)	28 Sep 2014	2m 49.16s
1m 5f 164y	Adele (Good to Firm)	12 Sep 2015	2m 58.26s
1m 7f	Rock N'stones (Good to Firm)	13 May 2019	3m 16.41s
2m	Aldreth (Good to Firm)	13 Jun 2015	3m 25.62s

Musselburgh Top Trainers
Last 3 years (ordered by number of winners)

Chase
Hurdle
National Hunt Flat
Flat

Trainer	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
K Dalgleish	13	9	4	£61,666	69.23%	£28.96
A M Thomson	20	7	9	£55,695	35%	£5.47
D McCain Jnr	21	6	10	£28,852	28.57%	£6.50
P F Nicholls	9	6	0	£49,542	66.67%	£5.45
Miss Lucinda V Russell	48	4	25	£20,989	8.33%	-£34.25
Mrs R Dobbin	17	4	10	£23,717	23.53%	£0.75
Tim Vaughan	14	4	4	£22,483	28.57%	£4.95
Rebecca Menzies	13	2	5	£11,696	15.38%	-£6.10
D Thompson	6	2	3	£7,148	33.33%	£9.33
Olly Murphy	5	2	3	£38,988	40%	£4.50

Trainer	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
Miss Lucinda V Russell	88	12	35	£55,104	13.64%	-£4.68
D McCain Jnr	57	12	29	£83,664	21.05%	£0.03
I Jardine	53	9	24	£38,014	16.98%	£16.57
K Dalgleish	30	6	15	£23,978	20%	-£15.06
A M Thomson	30	5	16	£23,588	16.67%	£8.50
J S Goldie	41	4	17	£33,855	9.76%	-£9.50
Tim Vaughan	25	4	11	£15,141	16%	-£6.88
C E Longsdon	8	4	2	£44,388	50%	£13.63
P F Nicholls	13	3	9	£46,930	23.08%	£3.60
J P L Ewart	24	3	6	£10,397	12.5%	£6.00

Trainer	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
K Dalgleish	10	5	2	£13,645	50%	£5.53
D W Whillans	6	1	2	£2,599	16.67%	-£1.50
B Ellison	5	1	2	£3,249	20%	£6.00
K A Ryan	2	1	1	£1,949	50%	£3.00
M W Easterby	2	1	1	£1,949	50%	£0.38
T R George	2	1	1	£3,249	50%	£1.75
D McCain Jnr	2	1	1	£2,599	50%	£1.50
Laura Morgan	2	1	1	£2,599	50%	£7.00
M Herrington	1	1	0	£1,949	100%	£8.50
J G Cosgrave	1	1	0	£1,949	100%	£14.00

Trainer	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
K Dalgleish	318	39	113	£166,642	12.26%	-£114.17
R A Fahey	154	27	68	£186,624	17.53%	£32.58
M Johnston	138	26	66	£266,065	18.84%	-£21.48
I Jardine	137	15	56	£78,676	10.95%	-£62.23
Rebecca Bastiman	87	14	48	£65,789	16.09%	-£4.75
K A Ryan	69	13	27	£71,148	18.84%	£11.75
D O'Meara	77	12	34	£76,207	15.58%	-£21.85
T D Easterby	110	11	36	£58,630	10%	-£47.30
P T Midgley	87	11	26	£146,917	12.64%	£15.00
J S Goldie	151	10	52	£49,358	6.62%	-£82.63

Musselburgh Top Jockeys
Last 3 years (ordered by number of winners)

Chase
Hurdle
National Hunt Flat
Flat

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
B S Hughes	54	14	30	£100,461	25.93%	£0.37
Rachel McDonald	14	6	5	£48,677	42.86%	£10.17
Craig Nichol	15	4	7	£23,782	26.67%	£1.25
D R Fox	21	3	7	£15,401	14.29%	-£9.00
Alan Johns	9	3	3	£18,584	33.33%	£4.95
A E Lynch	4	3	1	£13,647	75%	£9.10
Henry Brooke	19	2	9	£7,148	10.53%	-£4.67
Lorcan Murtagh	8	2	4	£9,423	25%	£8.00
W T Kennedy	9	2	3	£10,396	22.22%	£0.75
Sam Coltherd	9	2	3	£7,798	22.22%	£4.50

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
B S Hughes	90	22	42	£120,760	24.44%	-£0.79
D R Fox	38	7	15	£31,840	18.42%	£17.00
W T Kennedy	26	7	11	£58,742	26.92%	£24.50
Callum Bewley	48	4	18	£34,310	8.33%	-£18.00
Henry Brooke	40	4	14	£14,621	10%	-£4.75
Alan Johns	15	4	6	£15,141	26.67%	£3.13
D A Jacob	5	4	1	£46,242	80%	£7.63
Ross Chapman	33	3	18	£11,827	9.09%	-£24.18
Dale Irving	19	3	4	£13,257	15.79%	£34.00
Danny McMenamin	11	3	4	£16,635	27.27%	£5.91

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
B S Hughes	14	7	6	£18,193	50%	£10.03
Callum Whillans	6	1	2	£2,599	16.67%	-£2.50
G Lee	4	1	1	£1,949	25%	-£1.90
A P Lane	2	1	1	£1,949	50%	£13.00
W T Kennedy	2	1	1	£1,949	50%	£7.50
Mr Kaine Wood	2	1	1	£3,249	50%	£9.00
Harry Bannister	2	1	1	£1,949	50%	£0.38
Joe Colliver	2	1	0	£3,249	50%	£4.00
Adrian Heskin	1	1	0	£3,249	100%	£2.75
Patrick Cowley	1	1	0	£2,599	100%	£8.00

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
J Fanning	217	39	80	£356,839	17.97%	-£51.11
D Tudhope	60	18	23	£126,811	30%	£29.53
P Makin	55	14	23	£99,470	25.45%	£36.49
Connor Beasley	116	13	53	£56,928	11.21%	-£36.67
Jason Hart	93	13	33	£51,303	13.98%	-£25.00
P Hanagan	84	13	32	£86,887	15.48%	-£6.05
P Mulrennan	101	12	43	£71,517	11.88%	-£49.75
Jamie Gormley	109	10	38	£55,280	9.17%	-£65.71
J P Sullivan	98	10	34	£33,961	10.2%	-£18.50
P J McDonald	62	10	33	£65,079	16.13%	-£2.87