Selkirk racehorse trainer Stuart Coltherd a winner at double at Musselburgh

The Selkirk handler had to settle for a third place and a fifth at Kelso but pulled off a near-24/1 winning double at Musselburgh on Sunday.

His winners in East Lothian were Midnight Shuffle at 9/2 in the opening Racing TV Cosmic Case Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at 1.50pm and Budarri at 10/3 in the concluding Racing TV Profits Returned to Racing Handicap Chase at 4.30pm.

His son Sam was in eight-year-old brown mare Midnight Shuffle’s saddle for Coltherd in the one-mile-seven-furlong opener, only her second win ever and her first since one at Kelso in September 2021, taking its £3,812 top prize and also a £20,000 breeder’s bonus.

Danny McMenamin rode Budarri to victory and prize money of £4,225 over two miles and four furlongs in the last race of the day, the ten-year-old bay gelding’s first win since one at Musselburgh at the start of November.

Coltherd said: “I’m pleased for Midnight Shuffle’s owner as she picked up a leg injury after winning her bumper at Kelso at the back end of 2021.

“She stays further than this two miles but we saw the opportunity of the bonus for a British-bred mare and it’s fairly boosted the prize money we’ve won.”

Coltherd was the Borders’ only winner at Musselburgh but Yetholm trainer Sandy Forster was runner-up to Duke of Deception, trained by Cheshire’s Oliver Greenall and with Henry Brooke as jockey, in the 2.20pm George Crawford Legacy Trust Novices’ Handicap Chase with Dr Shirocco, an eight-year-old chestnut gelding ridden by Patrick Wadge.

Kelso’s Sandy Thomson and Hawick’s Ewan Whillans claimed third places, the former with Ryan Mania riding Faithfulflyer in the 3.55pm Forth One Supervan Winner Duncan Smith Handicap Hurdle and the latter in the day’s finale with Dylan Johnston on Ingleby Mackenzie.

Camptown training partnership Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford were the region’s only success story at Kelso on Friday, winning the two-mile Subscribe to Racing TV Now Handicap Hurdle at 3.35pm with 13/8 favourite Dancewiththewind, an eight-year-old brown gelding carrying the colours of Geoff and Elspeth Adam and with Edward Austin riding.

Adam, a director at the course, said: “It’s always great to have a winner at our local track and he’s a horse with a bright future. He will jump a fence one day.”

Lilliesleaf handler Jackie Stephen was runner-up to Shantou Moon, trained in Cumbria by Tristan Davidson and with Harry Reed in the saddle, in the opening 2.05pm Book Now for Ladies’ Day Novices’ Handicap Hurdle with 7/2 favourite Lock Down Luke, ridden by Sean Quinlan.

Thomson also took a runner-up slot, with McMenamin on Doyen Breed in the 3.05pm Racing’s Best Ratings with Timeform Handicap Chase, its £13,008 top prize going to 10/11 favourite Minella Drama, ridden by Brian Hughes for Merseyside’s Donald McCain.

Whillans claimed third and fourth places in the 2.35pm Johnston Smillie Novices’ Hurdle, won by McMenamin on Dare to Shout for Northumberland’s Ann Hamilton, with Craig Nichol on Kingston Bridge and Henry Brooke on Syltezar respectively.

Coltherd’s Zopito, with son Sam as jockey, was fifth in that one and another of his horses, Oscar Wilde, with Tony Hamilton riding, was third in the 4.35pm Church House Investments Open Hunters’ Chase, won by Charlie Sprake on Secret Investor for Somerset’s Paul Nicholls.