Horse Racing: Gelding fit for a winning return to Musselburgh

Shunkawakhan looked a certain future winner when he finished second at Musselburgh recently and he gets a confident vote to go one better on the East Lothian track tomorrow night.

The seven-year-old has four career victories to his credit, only one of which is on turf and it is significant that it came on this track, although he has been placed several times on grass.

The gelding usually takes a couple of races to get fit, so it was no surprise that he finished last on his reappearance here in April and again here the following month, but he really caught my eye three weeks ago when he did not get the clearest of passages in the home straight.

In fact he almost collided with the running rail on the home turn and was then denied a clear run on the inner until being switched entering the final furlong to chase home an impressive winner. He now races off a 1lb lower mark in the Eastern Electric Scotland Handicap (8.30pm) and is several pounds lower than for his last win.

Leading apprentice James Sullivan claims a very valuable 5lb allowance and trainer Linda Perratt's horses are running into top form. She has saddled three winners frrom her last eleven runners and Shunkawakhan can add to the tally.

Miss Perratt can complete a double with Manadarin Spirit who can defy top weight in the concluding sprint - the Wilkinson & Associates Handicap (9.00pm).

The gelding has a total of 16 career victories and although he has not scored since last September, he has made the frame in eight of his 17 races since then.

He was third twice over this course and distance in May and is now running off a mark just 1lb high than for his last success.

A draw on the stands rails may not be perfect, for he sometimes misses the break, but jockey Tony Hamilton knows him well and will attempt to thread his way through the field to launch a late surge.

Glasgow trainer Jim Goldie has a fine record on this course and can take the opening Wilkinson Associates Amateur Riders Handicap (6.20pm) with Regent's Secret who will be partnered by the very able Carol Bartley.

The combination scored in a similar event at Hamilton at the end of June and Carol is one of the better riders in the amateur ranks.

David Nicholls is another trainer to do well here and it is significant that he drops Beyaz Villas back to the minimum trip in the European Breeders Fund Maiden Stakes (6.50) in which he has only three opponents.

The gelding showed promise in his first two races before he was runner-up at Haydock where he was beaten in a photo finish.

He then made much of the running when third over six furlongs at York and found seven furlongs much too far when unplaced at Catterick recently. He has enough speed to dictate throughout in this small field.

Joe Rowntree's Musselburgh selections: 6.20 Regent's Secret; 6.50 Beyez Villas; 8.30 Shunkawakhan; 9.00 Mandarin Spirit.