JIM Goldie savoured a notable Scottish success with 11-2 shot Gordonsville in the £20,000 Willie Park Trophy as Musselburgh brought the curtain down on its 2009 Flat season.
It was a gutsy performance from the six-year-old gelding, as he responded to jockey Daniel Tudhope's urgings to hold off the two market principals – 9-4 favourite Dayia, who finished a length away in second, and Mark Johnston's Alanbrooke (11-4), w
ho was forced to settle for third.
Gordonsville lined up at the East Lothian venue on the back of a creditable sixth in the 32-runner Cesarewitch at Newmarket earlier this month, and he stuck admirably to his task in this two-mile contest.
It completed a rare Musselburgh double for the son of Generous, who back in April won this year's renewal of the Musselburgh Gold Cup – the other main staying event on the course's Flat racing calendar. A victory at Ayr in June also contributed to a successful season for Goldie's charge, who had been called a few names in the past after assembling a sequence of six second-place finishes in seven prior to his Gold Cup win.
Musselburgh has been kind to rider Paul Hanagan over the years, and the jockey helped himself to a double. First, Richard Fahey's Tatiana Romanova (11-8) – named after a character in the James Bond movie From Russia With Love – lowered the colours of Godolphin debutante Infanta (5-4) in the maiden fillies event, then Bryan Smart's Besty also scored for Hanagan at 11-2 in the nursery.
Frederick Tylicki's mount Jupiter Fidius upset another hot favourite – Alan Swinbank's Taste The Victory (11-10) – in the EBF Maiden Stakes, while other winners on the card included Oddsmaker (5-1) in the seller, and 16-1 shot Edas in the opening amateur riders' handicap.
The 2009 season closed at Musselburgh with consistent sprinter Igoyougo scoring in the hands of Brazilian jockey Silvestre De Sousa in the concluding handicap.
• Poquelin heads a five-strong entry from the Paul Nicholls stable in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on 14 November. The recent course winner tops the betting at 5-1 with the sponsors but his trainer can also call on Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase winner Chapoturgeon as well as Tatenen, Gwanako and Grand National third My Will in a total entry of 49.
