Musselburgh Race 1

Virgin Bet A Good Bet Royal Mile Handicap

Prize Money: $55,350

COMIC HERO (6) brings a progressive profile with a pair of placings last season preceding a 0.75L victory in a 1400m novice race at Kempton AW during February. The second that day has won since boosting form line. Open to further progress making handicap debut. Serious player. STRENGTH OF SPIRIT (4) is two from four in his career following a 1L success attempting a 1400m nursery at Newbury last July. Rates highly on return. VINCENZO PERUGGIA (1) recorded a promising debut third at Hamilton before winning by 3.5L a Beverley 1400m novice race. Struggled in the 1400m G2 Vintage Skates at Goodwood but drops sharply in standard making first handicap outing. Might feature. UTMOST GOOD FAITH (2) is a three-time winner including tackling this trip. Looks one to note.

Distance: 1611m
Track: Good
Weather: Showers
Surface: Turf
Class: HCP, C3

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Vincenzo Peruggia (6) 310x
Trainer: Charlie Johnston(Middleham Moor, N Yorks)
Jockey: Rowan Scott
Weight: 61kg
Prize Money: $12,280
Win / Place: 33% / 66%

3 yo Chestnut Colt

Sire: LOPE DE VEGA (IRE)

Dam: SLIABH LUACHRA (IRE)

Dam's Sire: High Chaparral

Rating

Stats

Career

3: 1-0-1

1st Up

1: 0-0-1

2nd Up

1: 1-0-0

3rd Up

1: 0-0-0

Metro

1: 0-0-0

Non-Metro

2: 1-0-1

Turf

3: 1-0-1

Good

3: 1-0-1

Clockwise

2: 0-0-1

Anti-Clockwise

1: 1-0-0

Handicap Rating

Jockey Stats

Trainer

W 0% P 0%

Distance

W 0% P 0%

Track

W 0% P 0%

Trainer/Track

W 0% P 0%

Trainer/Distance

W 0% P 0%

Comments

Resuming after a eight months break. Not seen since he finished last of 10 at Goodwood in the G2 Vintage Stakes July 29 over 1400m, 10 len behind Zavateri carrying 58.5kg at $41. On debut third in a small field at Hamilton Park June 15 over 1200m, 2.75 len behind Gesayed carrying 60.5kg at $5.50. Not the worst in this and could find a place.

Expected Settling Position: Leader

Last Starts days since last start

Place	Date	Track	Distance	Class	Barrier	Jockey	Weight	Cond.	Race Time	Avg. Speed	Margin	800/400	SP	Days	Prize	Prize Won	Result
10th of 10	29/7/25	Goodwood	1408m	G2 OPEN 2	8	David Egan	58.5kg	Good	1:26.43	58.6 km/h	10.0L	2-2	$41	24	$317,610	-	1. Zavateri 2. Morris Dancer 3. Do Or Do Not
1st of 6	5/7/25	Beverley	1496m	OPEN NOV 2	3	David Egan	60.5kg	Good Firm	1:37.16	55.4 km/h	3.5L	1-1	$2.88f	20	$13,840	$7,472	1. Vincenzo Peruggia 2. Strength Of Spirit 3. Circle Of Magic
3rd of 5	15/6/25	Hamilton Park Uk	1207m	OPEN NOV 2	5	David Egan	60.5kg	Good Soft	1:13.58	59.1 km/h	2.8L	2-2	$5.50	-	$37,300	$4,808	1. Gesayed 2. Big Fun 3. Vincenzo Peruggia

Utmost Good Faith (5) 771x114
Trainer: George Boughey(Newmarket, Suffolk)
Jockey: H Crouch
Weight: 60.5kg
Prize Money: $38,334
Win / Place: 50% / 50%

3 yo Bay Gelding

Sire: STARSPANGLEDBANNER (AUS)

Dam: LOVERS' GAIT (IRE)

Dam's Sire: Gleneagles

Rating

Stats

Career

6: 3-0-0

Distance

2: 1-0-0

Season

3: 2-0-0

1st Up

2: 1-0-0

2nd Up

2: 1-0-0

3rd Up

2: 1-0-0

Non-Metro

6: 3-0-0

Turf

3: 1-0-0

Good

1: 0-0-0

Soft

2: 1-0-0

Synthetic

3: 2-0-0

Clockwise

2: 1-0-0

Anti-Clockwise

4: 2-0-0

Handicap Rating

Jockey Stats

Trainer

W 0% P 0%

Distance

W 0% P 0%

Track

W 0% P 0%

Trainer/Track

W 0% P 0%

Trainer/Distance

W 0% P 0%

Distance Range Last 6 months

1408m - 1609m

Gear Changes

[Hood]

Comments

Form hard to fault. Returns from a 38-day let-up. Last start ran last in a small field at Kempton Park All Weather on February 25 over 1600m, 3.5 len behind Hidden Force with 60.5kg at $15. The start before that came from midfield and won by 3 len at Wolverhampton February 9 over 1400m defeating Dagger Strike with 61kg at $2.30. Has ability and can measure up.

Expected Settling Position: Off Pace

Last Starts days since last start

Place	Date	Track	Distance	Class	Barrier	Jockey	Weight	Cond.	Race Time	Avg. Speed	Margin	800/400	SP	Days	Prize	Prize Won	Result
4th of 4	25/2/26	Kempton Park	1609m	OPEN 3	1	Billy Loughnane	60.5kg	NS	1:39.44	58.3 km/h	3.5L	-	$15	16	$110,700	$6,686	1. Hidden Force 2. Venetian Prince 3. Tadej
1st of 4	9/2/26	Wolverhampton	1408m	HCP 3	3	Billy Loughnane	61kg	Neutral	1:27.90	57.7 km/h	3.0L	2-1	$2.25f	26	$17,720	$9,173	1. Utmost Good Faith 2. Dagger Strike 3. Horwich
1st of 4	14/1/26	Kempton Park	1609m	HCP 3	1	Billy Loughnane	57.5kg	NS	1:41.08	57.3 km/h	4.5L	2-1	$1.73f	114	$21,100	$11,589	1. Utmost Good Faith 2. Try Storm Cat 3. Ritaal
114 Day Spell
1st of 9	22/9/25	Fairyhouse	1408m	CLM 2	1	Joseph Sheridan	60kg	Y	1:28.21	57.5 km/h	0.5L	-	$4.33	22	$19,420	$10,886	1. Utmost Good Faith 2. Idiocracy 3. Badger's Cove
7th of 12	31/8/25	Tipperary	1810m	MDN 2	6	Joseph Sheridan	60.5kg	GY	2:01.35	53.7 km/h	11.8L	-	$126	34	$31,220	-	1. Endorsement 2. Limestone 3. Winday
34 Day Freshen-Up
7th of 8	28/7/25	Galway	1408m	MDN 2	4	Joseph Sheridan	59.5kg	Y	1:31.66	55.3 km/h	14.3L	-	$51	-	$34,690	-	1. Constitution River 2. Spangled Sands 3. Daary

Monoceros (3) 13px
Trainer: Iain Jardine(Carrutherstown, D'fries & G'way)
Jockey: Cam Hardie
Weight: 58kg
Prize Money: $11,614
Win / Place: 33% / 66%

3 yo Bay Gelding

Sire: DUBAWI (IRE)

Dam: SHIROCCO STAR (GB)

Dam's Sire: Shirocco

Rating

Stats

Career

3: 1-0-1

Distance

1: 0-0-0

1st Up

1: 1-0-0

2nd Up

1: 0-0-1

3rd Up

1: 0-0-0

Metro

2: 1-0-0

Non-Metro

1: 0-0-1

Turf

3: 1-0-1

Good

3: 1-0-1

Clockwise

3: 1-0-1

Handicap Rating

Jockey Stats

Trainer

W 0% P 0%

Distance

W 0% P 0%

Track

W 0% P 0%

Trainer/Track

W 0% P 0%

Trainer/Distance

W 0% P 0%

Comments

Resuming. Finished off last campaign failed to finish at Newmarket (Rowley) September 25 over 1600m. At his first start won by 0.5 len Newmarket (July) August 22 over 1400m defeating I Can Dance carrying 58kg at $2.20. Prefer to see him go around again before recommending.

Expected Settling Position: Midfield

Last Starts days since last start

Place	Date	Track	Distance	Class	Barrier	Jockey	Weight	Cond.	Race Time	Avg. Speed	Margin	800/400	SP	Days	Prize	Prize Won	Result
99th of 7	25/9/25	Newmarket (Rowley)	1609m	HCP NSY 2	6	William Buick	62kg	Good	1:39.10	58.5 km/h	99.0L	-	$3.00	16	$18,450	-	1. Big Song 2. Gold Dawn 3. Dark Shore
3rd of 11	9/9/25	Leicester	1408m	NOV 2	3	William Buick	61kg	Good	1:22.58	61.4 km/h	1.8L	6-5	$1.44f	18	$16,340	$2,105	1. Blue Courvoisier 2. Decem Starr 3. Monoceros
1st of 5	22/8/25	Newmarket Uk	1408m	NOV C 2	2	Billy Loughnane	58kg	Good Firm	1:26.43	58.6 km/h	0.5L	3-3	$2.20f	-	$17,870	$9,509	1. Monoceros 2. I Can Dance 3. St Anton

Strength Of Spirit (2) 5121x
Trainer: K R Burke(Coverham, North Yorkshire)
Jockey: S H James
Weight: 56.5kg
Prize Money: $38,869
Win / Place: 50% / 75%

Strong Form on Good

3 yo Bay Gelding

Sire: ULYSSES (IRE)

Dam: TALLOW (IRE)

Dam's Sire: Kodiac

Rating

Stats

Career

4: 2-1-0

1st Up

1: 0-0-0

2nd Up

1: 1-0-0

3rd Up

1: 0-1-0

4th Up

1: 1-0-0

Metro

2: 2-0-0

Non-Metro

2: 0-1-0

Turf

4: 2-1-0

Good

4: 2-1-0

Anti-Clockwise

4: 2-1-0

Handicap Rating

Jockey Stats

Horse

1: 1-0-0

Trainer

W 0% P 0%

Distance

W 0% P 0%

Track

W 0% P 0%

Trainer/Track

W 0% P 0%

Trainer/Distance

W 0% P 0%

Comments

Racing first-up today. Not seen since winning by 1.0 len Newbury July 24 over 1400m defeating John Barleycorn with 60.5kg at $4.20. On debut fifth of 7 at Ayr May 21 over 1200m, 7 len behind Underwriter with 60.5kg at $10. A bright return to the track is anticipated.

Expected Settling Position: Midfield

Last Starts days since last start

Place	Date	Track	Distance	Class	Barrier	Jockey	Weight	Cond.	Race Time	Avg. Speed	Margin	800/400	SP	Days	Prize	Prize Won	Result
1st of 7	24/7/25	Newbury	1408m	HCP NSY 2	1	Shane Kelly	60.5kg	Good Firm	1:26.05	58.9 km/h	1.0L	7-5	$4.20	19	$21,780	$11,589	1. Strength Of Spirit 2. John Barleycorn 3. Mehmas Air Force
2nd of 6	5/7/25	Beverley	1496m	OPEN NOV 2	4	Clifford Lee	60.5kg	Good Firm	1:37.16	55.4 km/h	3.5L	2-2	$3.50	22	$13,840	$3,507	1. Vincenzo Peruggia 2. Strength Of Spirit 3. Circle Of Magic
1st of 13	13/6/25	Chester	1408m	OPEN SELL 2	7	Sam James	59kg	Good	1:26.79	58.4 km/h	0.3L	8-9	$9.50	23	$45,370	$23,773	1. Strength Of Spirit 2. Ubetterseethis 3. Crystal Aurora
5th of 7	21/5/25	Ayr	1207m	OPEN MDN 2	3	Clifford Lee	60.5kg	Good Firm	1:12.04	60.3 km/h	7.8L	4-6	$10	-	$16,610	-	1. Underwriter 2. Kanishka 3. Sunny Smile

Kanishka (1) 4424107x34
Trainer: Brian Ellison(@Norton, N Yorks)
Jockey: Harry Davies
Weight: 55.5kg
Prize Money: $27,074
Win / Place: 11% / 33%

3 yo Bay Gelding

Sire: COULSTY (IRE)

Dam: BLUSHING ROSE (GB)

Dam's Sire: Dalakhani

Rating

Stats

Career

9: 1-1-1

Season

2: 0-0-1

1st Up

2: 0-0-1

2nd Up

2: 0-0-0

3rd Up

1: 0-1-0

4th Up

1: 0-0-0

Metro

3: 1-0-0

Non-Metro

6: 0-1-1

Turf

6: 0-1-0

Good

6: 0-1-0

Synthetic

3: 1-0-1

Clockwise

2: 0-0-0

Anti-Clockwise

7: 1-1-1

Handicap Rating

Jockey Stats

Trainer

W 0% P 0%

Distance

W 0% P 0%

Track

W 0% P 0%

Trainer/Track

W 0% P 0%

Trainer/Distance

W 0% P 0%

Distance Range Last 6 months

1408m

Gear Changes

[cheek piece]

Comments

Third-up today and placed third-up previously. Resuming 3rd of 7 at Southwell All Weather on March 11 over 1400m, 1.5 len behind Illy's Roo with 57.5kg at $11. Second run from a spell 4th of 9 at Southwell All Weather on March 28 over 1400m, 0.8 len behind Tamashal with 60kg at $6.50. Not going well enough. Would need to improve further.

Expected Settling Position: Off Pace

Last Starts days since last start

Place	Date	Track	Distance	Class	Barrier	Jockey	Weight	Cond.	Race Time	Avg. Speed	Margin	800/400	SP	Days	Prize	Prize Won	Result
4th of 9	28/3/26	Southwell	1408m	HCP 3	4	Ben Robinson	60kg	Neutral	1:27.76	57.8 km/h	0.8L	-	$6.50	17	$19,600	$1,223	1. Tamashal 2. The Resdev Scholar 3. Illy's Roo
3rd of 7	11/3/26	Southwell	1408m	HCP 3	5	Ben Robinson	57.5kg	Neutral	1:27.63	57.8 km/h	1.5L	-	$11	158	$17,240	$2,151	1. Illy's Roo 2. Dagger Strike 3. Kanishka
158 Day Spell
7th of 15	4/10/25	Redcar	1207m	LR OPEN 2	11	Ben Robinson	56kg	Good Soft	1:11.73	60.6 km/h	4.5L	8-8	$51	44	$378,840	-	1. Ardisia 2. Golden Brown 3. Argentine Tango
44 Day Freshen-Up
11th of 18	21/8/25	York	1408m	HCP NSY 2	4	Tom Marquand	55.5kg	Good Firm	1:25.33	59.4 km/h	9.8L	8-6	$23	56	$184,500	-	1. Stellar Sunrise 2. Command The Stars 3. Special Dividend
56 Day Freshen-Up
1st of 10	26/6/25	Newcastle	1408m	OPEN MDN 2	5	Tom Marquand	60.5kg	Neutral	1:32.17	55.0 km/h	1.5L	4-5	$2.10f	12	$12,340	$6,775	1. Kanishka 2. Popty Ping 3. Silca Blue
4th of 8	14/6/25	Leicester	1408m	OPEN MDN 2	7	Darragh Keenan	58.5kg	Good Firm	1:24.21	60.2 km/h	3.3L	1-1	$3.25	24	$16,330	$2,037	1. Sirius A 2. What's The Plan 3. Halla Bil Zain

Comic Hero (4) 732x1
Trainer: Andrew Balding(Kingsclere, Hants)
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Weight: 55.5kg
Prize Money: $30,686
Win / Place: 25% / 75%

3 yo Bay Gelding

Sire: SAXON WARRIOR (JPN)

Dam: SENSE OF HUMOUR (GB)

Dam's Sire: Dark Angel

100

Rating

Stats

Career

4: 1-1-1

Season

1: 1-0-0

1st Up

2: 1-0-0

2nd Up

1: 0-0-1

3rd Up

1: 0-1-0

Metro

2: 0-1-0

Non-Metro

2: 1-0-1

Turf

3: 0-1-1

Good

3: 0-1-1

Synthetic

1: 1-0-0

Clockwise

1: 0-0-1

Anti-Clockwise

3: 1-1-0

Handicap Rating

Jockey Stats

Trainer

W 0% P 0%

Distance

W 0% P 0%

Track

W 0% P 0%

Trainer/Track

W 0% P 0%

Trainer/Distance

W 0% P 0%

Distance Range Last 6 months

1408m

Comments

Second-up. Comes off a 45-day let-up. First-up after eight months favourite; won by 0.8 len at Kempton Park All Weather February 18 over 1400m defeating Espanita with 56.5kg at $1.50. Previously second-up 3rd of 7 at Salisbury on June 25 over 1200m, 0.5 len behind Nifty carrying 60.5kg at $8. Fitter and looks one of the key chances.

Expected Settling Position: Pace

Last Starts days since last start

Place	Date	Track	Distance	Class	Barrier	Jockey	Weight	Cond.	Race Time	Avg. Speed	Margin	800/400	SP	Days	Prize	Prize Won	Result
1st of 12	18/2/26	Kempton Park	1408m	NOV 35	9	Callum Hutchinson	56.5kg	NS	1:26.23	58.8 km/h	0.8L	4-1	$1.50f	223	$19,250	$9,963	1. Comic Hero 2. Espanita 3. Portman Blue
223 Day Spell
2nd of 12	10/7/25	Newbury	1207m	NOV 2	8	Rob Hornby	58kg	Good Firm	1:12.32	60.1 km/h	0.1L	1-3	$5.50	15	$55,350	$14,031	1. Penhallam 2. Comic Hero 3. Airside
3rd of 7	25/6/25	Salisbury	1207m	OPEN NOV 2	1	Rob Hornby	60.5kg	Good Firm	1:15.57	57.5 km/h	0.5L	1-1	$8.00	19	$54,450	$6,692	1. Nifty 2. Spacewoman 3. Comic Hero
7th of 12	6/6/25	Bath	1151m	OPEN MDN 2	2	Callum Hutchinson	60.5kg	Good	1:10.79	58.5 km/h	8.3L	10-11	$19	-	$55,350	-	1. Gorey Gold 2. Army Bugler 3. Secret Santa

Race Review Abbreviations

3WNC: Three wide no cover, Awk: Awkwardly away, Bk: Back, Blkd: Blocked, Btld: Battled, Chal: Challenged, Chkd: Checked, Cvr: Cover, Fdd: Faded, Fght: Fought, Fin: Finish, Hdd: Headed, Hld up: Held up, Hmprd: Hampered, Hndy: Handy, Kikd: Kicked, Kn: Keen, Ld: Led/Lead, Midf: Midfield, Mod pc: Moderate pace, Otf: On the Fence, ROS: Ran on strongly, Slow: Slow away, Snagd: Snagged, Stld: Settled, Tn: Turn, Trld: Trailed, Under pres: Under pressure, Under rd: Under riding, Urgd: Urged, Wd: Wide, Wdr: Wider, Weavd: Weaved, Wknd: Weakened, Wrkd: Worked

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