Way up north

It's a miserable day here in Cornwall, thick cloud and constant drizzle and it seems that for the third summer in a row July and August have been great let downs. We can only hope for an improvement during the second two-thirds of the month.

In an attempt to cheer things up I've headed way up north in search of a winner, looking to the opener at Musselburgh where I hope Stonehaugh can beat the short priced favourite, Beckermet. I reckon it's between these two and a lot will depend on whether Tom Eaves can get Stonehaugh to the front as he needs to go from there to win and it is Beckermet who could challenge for the lead.

But although that one is the quality horse in the field he is very much out of form and the fact that he is dropped to a seller in an attempt to get a win shows how disappointing he has become. You are banking on him showing a willingness to win which has been lacking since moving to his present trainer and I think he represents very poor value at around 6-4 compared to 6-1 Stonehaugh.

I am also having a highly speculative punt on Team Allstar in the 4.50 at Worcester at 25-1. This is J P McManus's second string and hasn't run for nearly two years but he has twice won after lay offs - admittedly nothing like this - when trained in Ireland and I just wonder why JP has kept him in training unless he still has a shout at winning something like this. I've taken an early price and there's been no movement since then but perhaps the money will come for him in the last five minutes!