Three runners at Musselburgh on Monday, where the going is currently good to soft, and hopefully there will be no more rain, as at least two of them wouldn't want it to get too soft.
At 12.45.pm in the extended one mile and seven furlongs 0-105 mares only handicap hurdle Russian Royale makes a quick reappearance, just six days after finishing sixth at Catterick, very few got involved that day with the front runners dominating. Russian Royale is fast approaching her 11th birthday, so isn't getting any faster, but she can now race off her lowest ever mark of 79, with our stable conditional Aiden Macdonald taking off a very welcome further 10lb.
Aiden will also be on board Rockcliffe one hour later at 1.45.pm in the extended two miles and seven furlongs 0-105 handicap hurdle. Rockcliffe was a winner at the track back in February 2018, over a mile shorter, but needs a longer trip nowadays, his last run was over this course and distance a month ago, when a bad mistake two out, when in contention, put paid to his chance.
Where as the two above mentioned would not want the ground to get any softer Fosters'sisland could probably cope, but good to soft will also be fine. He runs in the 0-105 extended two miles and three furlongs handicap hurdle at 2.15.pm, with regular pilot Joe Colliver in the saddle.This will be Foster'sisland's first venture in to handicap company and he looks to be on a very attractive mark (but don't tell anyone else) based on his good bumper form of last season. He hasn't shown anywhere near that ability in his three novice and maiden hurdle races to qualify for his mark of 91, but this company is a lot less exalting.
For a list of all the 87 horses currently in training at Oakwood Stables, and Sharp Hill, click on 'NEWS' at www.mickyhammondraces.
Good luck to the connections, Raypasha, RM&T, S Toomes, J Hill & Partners, and The Oakwood Nobels.