Runner in the last at Musselburgh....

Friday to Sunday sees the finals of the Go North Racing initiative, held on consecutive days at Musselburgh, Kelso and Carlisle.
This weekend is principally designed to provide a balance for Northern Trainers to the comparatively rich handicaps held in the midlands and south of Britain, and in some way to combat the stiff tasks that Northern-based runners face in handicap terms when venturing out with the Northern tracks.
Eight handicaps and a bumper, Class 2 finals with the qualifiers within the 0-105 to 0-120 range.

Great initiative though perhaps a bit galling to see representatives in these races from several powerhouse NH trainers from south of the McCain-SouthYorkshire line.
Step forward Messieurs O'Brien, Longsdon, Harris, Pipe, Williams, Henderson........
A bit like WP sending runners across the Irish Sea to win the British Trainers Championship. Oh wait.....................

Moving on swiftly, our only runner of the NH weekend lies not in any of the finals but with Ellistrin Star in the Musselburgh bumper. The ground will probably ride a bit faster than the advance report of good to soft which may help the Ron & Eileen Smith's home-bred Passing Glance mare to show a bit more.
Craig Nichol rode Ellistrin Star when well down the field at Ayr last month on heavy ground and is again in the saddle.

Good luck to all.

Ellistrin Star

....and in the first at Newcastle's evening card

Just an hour later at Newcastle's All-Weather card, Pallas Lord makes his second appearance since joining the yard in the opening race, an Apprentice Handicap (0-60) over 1 mile.
He ran well here a couple of weeks ago, slightly hampered towards the finish in 5th, so we hope he can perform well again here.
Young Irish apprentice Ryan Sexton is still able to claim 7lb in such races and that will surely come in handy as Pallas Lord is set to carry 9st 10lb.

He's probably our best chance of a winner today.

Pallas Lord