'Bellini' makes her debut at Musselburgh - non runner, unfortunately

Ron & Eileen Smith's home-bred filly Ellistrin Star makes her first appearance on the racecourse when taking on 7 opponents in the bumper at Musselburgh on Monday.

Rose of Siena and Augharue both ran with credit behind Donny Boy at Kelso last month with only a length separating the pair and should go close again here.

Our filly is one of only two in the race who haven't run before but it is the breeding of the other debutant that catches the eye. Trained by Scobie Jardine, the flat-bred Call Me Harry is a half brother to a Listed winner in France on the Flat while his winning dam has a couple of siblings who were successful at Group 3 level. He should be most suited by this track and the advanced going of Good to Soft.

That's not to demean the pedigree of Ellistrin Star though. He dam won a couple of hurdles and is a half-sister to two winners, one of whom is the Grade 2 winning hurdler Shades of Midnight.

It's always a special day for an owner when a horse makes her debut, and being home-bred and reared makes it extra special. The 4-yr-old Ellistrin Star has been in training for 2 or 3 spells now with us and she is at the stage of her development where racecourse experience will bring her on.
Craig Nichol is in the saddle.
Best of luck to all.

Ellistrin Star (Laura) in the foreground