Saturday ante-post tips: Alex Scott bids to follow up 25-1 winner

There is a real competitive look to the £50,000 Virgin Bet Daily Price Boost Queen’s Cup at Musselburgh on Saturday, with the betting currently 5-1 the field.

Last season's 1m6f contest was won by the admirable dual-purpose performer Kihavah, who was coming into the race off the back of a hurdles campaign and had last been seen at Ayr just a week before.

Followers of my ante-post columns over recent months will remember Faye Bramley doing us a favour in the December Gold Cup with Glengouly striking at 33-1, and I think the Lambourn handler may have another chance of a big Saturday winner in this year’s renewal of the Queen’s Cup courtesy of ALMUHIT.

The seven-year-old has not been seen on a racecourse for over a month and is not as good as last year’s victor, but he has a similar profile in that he has been hurdling over the winter and looks to have solid claims in this race off a mark of just 87.

The son of Sea The Stars placed off this mark at York’s Ebor meeting in a really strong handicap over an extended two miles behind the now 107-rated Santorini Star, who went on to win the Group Two Park Hill and finish second in the Group One Prix de Royallieu.

Almuhit did then disappoint at Newmarket in the Cesarewitch Trial over further, but I am happy to draw a line through that run, his effort at York perhaps taking its toll and the trip possibly stretching him. His first two starts over hurdles this winter were also a touch disappointing, but he shaped with much more promise last time and a return to an even quicker surface off a short break looks a positive.

He finished second of 25 runners on his stable debut for this yard off a similar absence last spring at Punchestown and could be a tough horse to pass in Saturday’s contest. The 14-1 currently on offer looks good value.

The following race on the card, the Virgin Bet Scottish Sprint Cup, looks even more competitive. Won last year by none other than Royal Ascot hero American Affair, it is unlikely we have a horse of that quality lurking in this year’s race, but it is set to be a decent renewal nevertheless, and the one I want to side with is JER BATT.

David and Nicola Barron’s charge finished an excellent third behind that subsequent Group One winner in last year’s renewal and went on to place a further five times over the course of the season, but having failed to get his head in front, returns to Musselburgh off a 7lb lower mark.

In fact, his last win came when beating American Affair off 2lb higher than this and he has also won his seasonal reappearance before, plus has won over course and distance.

A largely consistent performer, he looks a very likely runner, with Saffie Osborne currently booked another positive, and the current 8-1 on offer with a couple of firms looks too big. It is hard to see him being too far away if he is ready to go on this return to action off a dangerous mark.

3.05 Musselburgh: ALMUHIT at a general 14-1.

3.42 Musselburgh: JER BATT at 8-1 with Ladbrokes/Coral.