Bet365 Scottish County Hurdle – 1.43 Musselburgh – Saturday 31st January

Prominent Scottish owner Jimmy Fyffe has plenty of chances lined up for the valuable two-day Musselburgh meeting this weekend, and two of them go in Saturday’s Bet365 Scottish County Handicap Hurdle at 1.43.

Currently the market feels that City Of Diamonds, who Fyffe’s retained rider Brian Hughes is jocked up on at this stage, has the slightly better chance. However, at 20/1 each-way with sponsors Bet365, Static has a very lively 1-star * ante-post chance for WhichBookie in my opinion.

Charlie Maggs has got a decent tune out of Static on several occasions, including in last year’s Boodles Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival on first start for current connections, when only fading after the last. That 2m½f just stretched him, and the 1m7½f trip around Musselburgh looks sure to suit very nicely, as it was proving to do so when being unluckily brought down at the last in the Scottish Triumph Hurdle on this very card 12 months ago.

Interestingly, from a sectional and overall time perspective, the juveniles heading down to the last in contention that day were in the process of running a race of more substance than the likes of Welsh Charger and Afadil, who fought out the finish of the Scottish County Hurdle on the same card.

Given that pair are top priced at 4/1 and 6/1 for Saturday’s race, it makes the 20/1 about Static somewhat generous. If you factor in weights and measures as well, Static is even more well off with that pair given their performances 12 months ago.

Since then and following stable tour comments that these types of races at Musselburgh would be on his agenda, this will be Static’s first foray back to Edinburgh and he has been campaigned and ridden to regain confidence of late, following a couple of spills. Huntingdon and Kelso the last twice were much better and he is no 20/1 shot, of that, I am sure.