Step Up In Trip To Suit Prince At Musselburgh

Pipers Piping was far from disgraced in 6th on Monday and he was closing all the way to the line. They just didn't go quick enough in front but it was another decent effort and if the handicapper drops him another couple of pounds it won't be long until he is back in the winners enclosure.

Tomorrow at Musselburgh one of my favourite trainers, the tricky Sandy Thomson, has a trio of interesting runners. Wakhan and Oscar Lateen are 8/1 and 6/4 respectively and both have realistic chances of hitting the frame. However, he has a stable and handicap debutant at a much more generous price in the 3.25, a 2m3f hurdle, and Imperial Prince could step up massively on the form he has shown thus far.

He showed definite promise on his first two bumper runs for former handler Micheal Smith, finishing 4th on both occasions on soft/good to soft over 16.5f and 16f back in April 2014. He wasn't seen again until he turned up in a novice hurdle in Jan 2015 at Newcastle ( 16.5f soft) and he trailed in a well beaten 4th of 9, beaten 26l but rallying well late on when the leaders had flown. That effort suggested a step up in trip would be needed to see him at his best.

He wasn't seen out again for another 9 months and his comeback run at Ayr in a maiden hurdle over 16f saw him outpaced again and well beaten in 9th. He was kept to 16.5f on his last run at Newcastle and it was a similar story, and the handicapper has awarded him a mark of 100 for his handicap debut.

He has moved to the Sandy Thomson stable and, as he has showed with Harry The Viking, he can often do well with new arrivals. He steps up to 19.5f and the new trip looks sure to bring about an improved showing. His previous runs over shorter trips have suggested it would suit, and his pedigree strongly suggests it too.

His half brother Imperial Vic was a useful sort (rated 140) and he has won 4 races under rules over 3m. His dam's half brother Satco Express won a grade 3 over 3m, and both of those horses showed a clear preference for decent ground, which should be the case at Musselburgh tomorrow.

Imperial Prince is currently chalked up at odds of 20/1 with some bookies for tomorrow's race, and on all known form it looks a fair enough price. However, as has been outlined above there is cause for optimism regarding the new trip, and Sandy Thomson's horses have been in fine fettle too. At his current odds he looks worthy of a small e/w bet in  a weak looking race that won't take much winning.

STEVOS' SELECTION: 3.25 MUSSSELBURGH-IMPERIAL PRINCE 20/1 E/W