Plenty of Irish interest in the UK this afternoon Despite there being no racing here until Clonmel on Thursday there is plenty of Irish interest in the UK this afternoon with six home trained horses set to do battle. Molinero is the first up with the Jimmy Finn trained gelding among five declared for the opening 3m Conditional Jockeys Handicap Chase at Musselburgh which is due off at 12:20. Peter Carberry takes the ride on the 8yo son of Oscar who will be bidding to break his duck on the thirty second time of asking. The most interesting Irish runner of the day is undoubtedly Gift Of Dgab for Tony Martin with Davy Russell aboard and he runs in the 1:10 at Plumpton. Having impressed on his first start over fences at Limerick last month the son of Winged Love will be well fancied to follow up today but it is by no means a forgone conclusion with some decent types in the field. There is just under a two hour wait for the next Irish trained runners with Sovento for Shaun Harley and The Catenian for Eoin Doyle among 14 horses in the first division of the Totepool Handicap over 1m 2f at 3:00 in Lingfield. Sovento will be having his first run since June and has to contend with top weight of 9-3. The trainers brother Martin takes the ride on the 7yo gelding who is not without his chance in what looks an open contest. Jimmy Quinn will partner The Catenian who was backed from 20/1 into 11/2 at the off on his last start at Kempton in early November. The 3yo son of Hawk Wing was unlucky in running on that occasion but still managed to finished sixth of thirteen. Market support for this lightly raced gelding would be highly significant. Underdefloorboards for Pat Coffey and Mill Bay for Stuart Crawford are the final two Irish raiders of the day in the last at Musselburgh a bumper over two miles at 3:20. The former has plenty of form to his name and could run a nice race here with Tom O’Brien aboard while the latter is an unraced son of Karinga Bay with the trainer’s brother Steven set to ride.
