15th win of season for teenage Hawick jockey Rhys Elliott at Musselburgh


Elliott, 18, rode the eight-year-old bay gelding, trained by Mike Smith at Galston in East Ayrshire, to a first-place finish at 5/1 a length and a half ahead of North Yorkshire trainer Ben Haslam’s Code Purple, with Paul Mulrennan in the saddle, in the 4.20pm Gloria Roche Memorial Handicap, taking that seven-furlong race’s top prize of £3,664.
That was Golden Valour’s first win since May and fourth all told and Elliott’s second of the month, the first being on Royal Duke, trained by Smith too, at Musselburgh on Wednesday, October 2.
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Hide AdSelkirk trainer Katie Scott’s Havana Rose was third, with Sam James riding.


Elliott, formerly employed at now-retired Hawick trainer Alistair Whillans’ stables but with County Durham’s Michael Dods Racing as an apprentice jockey since 2022, picked up a third place at the East Lothian course too, on Star of Markinch for Camptown handler Gary Rutherford in the 3.20pm Ray Hawthorne Memorial Handicap over a mile and eight furlongs, with victory in that race going to Haslam and Mulrennan’s 6/4 favourite Reel Her In.
He had to settle for sixth place with his other mount at the meeting, however, that being prior course winner Royal Duke in the concluding 4.55pm Watch on Racing TV Handicap over five furlongs.
Former Hawick trainer Iain Jardine, based at Carrutherstown in Dumfries and Galloway since 2015, was also among the winners on the day with 2/1 second-favourite Sutue Alshams, ridden by Andrew Mullen, in the 2.20pm Max Recycle Selling Stakes, claiming its top prize of £4,428.
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Hide AdThird place in that one-mile-four-furlong race went to another of Jardine’s horses, Deauville, with Mulrennan riding, with the runner-up spot going to Hawick jockey Jason Hart on County Durham trainer Rebecca Menzies’ 6/4 favourite Bulldog Spirit.
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