Setting the Scene: A Midsummer Cracker at Musselburgh
Thursday the 25th of June. The sun is (fingers crossed) hanging over the East Lothian coastline, the Musselburgh faithful are filing through the gates, and at 15:12 the 1m 2f 42y stretch of All-Weather track is about to host one of the most competitive Class 2 handicaps of the summer calendar.
The Jenningsbet Scarborough Handicap Stakes — a GBBPlus race carrying a £35,000 prize pot — is exactly the kind of contest that gets the pulse racing. Twelve declared runners, a rating band of 81–100, and a track that has been regraded and had new fibres added since the last fixture on 2nd June. That last detail alone is enough to make any shrewd punter sit up straight. We're not dealing with a surface we know intimately right now — and that unpredictability is part of what makes this race so delicious.
Three non-runners (Haku, King's Code, Jolly Jack Tar) have trimmed the field to nine effective starters, which actually tightens the puzzle rather than loosening it. Every remaining runner has a genuine chance to frame. Let's get into it.
Top Contenders: Who's Got What It Takes?
1. Eternal Force (Draw 5 | Rating 98 | Tom Marquand | William Haggas)
Top weight, top rating, top connections. Eternal Force heads this field on official figures at 98, and William Haggas doesn't send a horse to Musselburgh on a Thursday afternoon without a plan. The four-year-old gelding carries 9-9 but that won't deter Tom Marquand, who is as good as it gets when it comes to getting weight-carriers home in handicaps. No headgear, no flags — this horse is what it is, and right now it looks like the one to beat. The draw in stall five is workable on this track, and if the new fibres play to a prominent runner's strengths, Eternal Force could dictate from the front and never be caught.
2. Will Scarlet (Draw 1 | Rating 97 | Callum Rodriguez | Simon & Ed Crisford)
Just a pound below the top weight, Will Scarlet is the other headline act. The Crisford yard have been in red-hot form and Callum Rodriguez is a jockey who absolutely maximises horses on All-Weather surfaces. Stall one is a fascinating draw on a regraded track — on a fresh surface, the inside rail can be a gift or a graveyard depending on how the kickback settles. Rodriguez is smart enough to exploit it either way. At 5yo this horse has experience, and if the pace is honest, he'll be motoring late.
3. Whitcombe Rockstar (Draw 10 | Rating 94 | Josephine Gordon | Keiran Burke)
Whitcombe Rockstar is a proven distance winner and that form flag matters enormously over 1m 2f 42y. At 7yo he's a seasoned handicapper who knows his job, and Josephine Gordon rides with real tactical intelligence. The visor and tongue tie combination (V T headgear) tells you Burke is pushing buttons to get the best out of him. Stall 10 is wide, but on a track where the new fibres could level the playing field, that might not be the disadvantage it would normally be. Don't dismiss him.
4. Rogue Millions (Draw 8 | Rating 94 | Daniel Muscutt | Edward Bethell)
Here's where it gets interesting. Rogue Millions is only four years old, holds a rating of 94, and is a proven distance winner. Edward Bethell is one of the most exciting young trainers in the north of England right now — when he targets a race like this, you pay attention. Daniel Muscutt is a brilliant fit: he knows All-Weather tracks inside out and he's ice-cool under pressure. Stall 8 gives him options. This horse could be well ahead of his mark if Bethell has timed this campaign to perfection.
5. The Glen Rovers (Draw 7 | Rating 91 | Sean Dylan Bowen | Lucy Wadham)
The Glen Rovers is your each-way stalwart. A course AND distance winner — that double form flag is as reassuring as it gets. At 7yo he's run at Musselburgh before and thrived. Lucy Wadham has him ticking over nicely, and Sean Dylan Bowen — better known on the jumps but no slouch on the Flat — will ride him with confidence. Stall 7 is a comfortable middle draw. He's not the flashiest name in the field but he's battle-hardened and he knows this track. At the right price, he's a serious each-way play.
6. Cloth of Gold (Draw 6 | Rating 85 | Jason Hart | Charlie Johnston)
On ratings, Cloth of Gold is near the foot of the competitive pack, but he's a course and distance winner and Charlie Johnston's yard has a habit of producing horses that run to their very best when the conditions suit. Jason Hart is a Musselburgh specialist. If the standard-to-slow going plays into the hands of a horse that stays strongly, Cloth of Gold could outrun his odds significantly.
Going and Draw: The Wild Cards on a Regraded Surface
This is the conversation every punter needs to have before placing a penny. The track has been regraded and had new fibres added since the June 2nd fixture. That's not a minor tweak — it fundamentally changes what we know about pace bias and draw advantage at this venue.
The going is Standard to Slow, which typically favours horses with a strong, grinding gallop rather than those who rely on sharp early pace. On a freshly laid surface, the fibres can initially play slower and deeper, rewarding stamina over speed.
In terms of the draw, the conventional Musselburgh wisdom about low draws on the All-Weather is worth treating with caution here. With new fibres, the track may ride more evenly across the width, which could neutralise the rail advantage that stall 1 (Will Scarlet) would normally enjoy. Mid-draw runners like Eternal Force (5), Cloth of Gold (6), The Glen Rovers (7) and Rogue Millions (8) could actually be sitting in the sweet spot.
Value Picks and Dangers
The value play of the race has to be Rogue Millions. A young, lightly-raced horse trained by one of the most ambitious handlers in the north, with a proven distance win and a jockey who thrives in these conditions — he's the one who could spring a surprise at a rewarding price.
For the each-way angle, The Glen Rovers and Cloth of Gold both tick the course-and-distance box and are priced accordingly. Either could sneak into the places and pay handsomely.
The danger to the market leaders? Per Contra (Tim Easterby, David Allan, stall 3) is a course and distance winner sitting at the bottom of the weights on 8-9. Easterby is a master of placing horses in northern handicaps, and a horse fresh off a low weight with proven Musselburgh form is never one to wave goodbye to.
My Selection: Rogue Millions to Cause a Stir
After weighing it all up, Rogue Millions is my pick for the Jenningsbet Scarborough Handicap Stakes. Edward Bethell's operation is firing on all cylinders, Daniel Muscutt is one of the most underrated All-Weather jockeys in the country, and a four-year-old distance winner drawn in stall 8 on a freshly regraded surface looks tailor-made for a big run.
Eternal Force and Will Scarlet are the class acts and deserve their market positions — but at the prices, Rogue Millions represents the most compelling risk-reward in the race. Back him each-way and enjoy the ride.
Tip: Rogue Millions (E/W)
Check out the full Musselburgh racecard for all the latest market moves and declarations before the off.
Who is the favourite for the Jenningsbet Scarborough Handicap Stakes 2026?
Eternal Force heads the weights on a rating of 98 and is trained by William Haggas with Tom Marquand aboard — a formidable combination that makes him the likely market leader. Will Scarlet (97) from the Simon & Ed Crisford yard is expected to be his closest rival in the betting.
How does the draw affect the Jenningsbet Scarborough Handicap at Musselburgh?
Normally, low draws carry an advantage at Musselburgh on the All-Weather, but the track has been regraded and had new fibres added since the last fixture on 2nd June 2026. This makes the usual draw bias harder to predict, and mid-draw runners may be better positioned than in a typical renewal.
Is the going likely to play a big part in the Jenningsbet Scarborough Handicap Stakes?
Absolutely. The going is Standard to Slow, and combined with the newly regraded surface, it is likely to favour horses with genuine stamina over 1m 2f 42y. Proven distance winners like Rogue Millions, Whitcombe Rockstar, and The Glen Rovers all carry relevant form flags that become even more important in these conditions.
