Tuesday tips: McConnell raiders can strike at Musselburgh

It is low grade day at Musselburgh on Tuesday and the door looks open for John McConnell to strike with a couple of his raiders from Ireland. He is certainly no stranger to success on these shores. 

Unusually for a horse at this level Braes of Dune is exceptionally consistent and was rewarded for his efforts with a win over 7f at Ayr this month. He got up close home for a narrow victory on that occasion and judging by, plus his previous two efforts, he will be well suited by this step back up to a mile. Paul Mulrennan is the only jockey to have scored on the gelding and the combination can go in again here. 

Turbo Sprint is always claimer ridden in Ireland, but he has one of this season’s top apprentices booked for this in Sean Dylan Bowen, and hopefully he can make the difference and enable this modest performer to finally break his maiden. 

The four-year-old often ruins his chance at the start but didn’t lose ground last time and ran a decent race, staying on to be fourth in a big field at Dundalk. 

Hopefully, Bowen will be alive to this tendency and if the combination can break on terms, then I can see them hitting the target. McConnell’s UK raiders always warrant a second look. 

I am banking on a McConnell/Bowen double with another horse who is attempting to break his maiden. 

Alex Belardo is a much more lightly raced type and he looks as though he is ready to strike judged on at least two of his recent starts. 

Last time out he was drawn very wide at Sligo but stayed on nicely to be third. 

He has fared well with the draw this time, in stall one, and in a race lacking in obvious pacesetters it seems likely he will be able to sit in a comfortable position on the rail. He is 1lb lower here than for his last run in Ireland and should go close.