Thanks to gutsy Bondi Beach the weekend didn’t end in a draught. The 9/1 winner of the Group 3 Curragh Cup clearly limited the losses, nonetheless it wasn’t a particularly good weekend at Irish flat racing’s HQ – from a punting perspective at least. Here’s hoping for better this week….

9.15 Musselburgh: Handicap (Class 6), 1m

Usually I avoid these low grade handicaps, but I believe to have found a “good thing” in this particular race. Starshaped has been moved to the UK after three poor performances in maiden company in Ireland. He took advantage of a lenient opening mark in a low grade handicap at Newcastle four weeks ago.

Up with the leading pack, he quickened away from 2f out once the pace collapsed. He won pretty easily in the end. 7lb hike in the mark for this success looks fair but may not stop him. He has been gelded in the meantime and that as well as natural progression should bring out a bit more.

He has been allocated a poor draw but may be able to overcome it – and hopefully does, since it is an advantage to be up with the pace at Musselburgh. Positive tactics were employed the last time, so it’s likely to be same today. If they make a bit of use of his stamina early on it shouldn’t be a problem as he is entitled to stay further on pedigree.

So I’d expect him to be in the right position when it matters. It’s a very winnable race and it looks significant that jockey Ronnan Whelan comes over from Ireland for this one single ride.

Starshaped @ 10/3 Betfred – 10pts Win