Edinburgh Cup Handicap
Course: Musselburgh
Date: 6th Jun 2026
Distance: 1m1f (1m208y)
Type: Flat
Going: Good
Class: Class 2
Prize: £25,770
Runners: 8
Going Detail: GOOD (GoingStick 8.0)
Weather: Cloudy
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Haayimm
3yo b Gelding (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Callum Rodriguez
Trainer: Edward Bethell
Middleham, N Yorks
Owner: Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum
Breeding
Sire: Gleneagles (IRE)
Dam: Lady Bond (GB)
Damsire: Fastnet Rock (AUS)
Breeder: Barry Moorhead
Ratings & Stats
Spotlight
Gelded after one run last season; floored the 1-8 favourite (who has since disappointed again) in a maiden at Pontefract and then pushed another market leader (promising gelding) close over Hamilton's extended 1m (good); finished that race out well after getting outpaced and a truer-run contest here would suit on handicap debut.
Comment
Pushed a promising horse close last time and brings potential into handicaps
Quotes
"Haayimm won well, he was fit and ready for the day and he'll be a nice horse for the rest of the season. I don't think the favourite ran to any form and hopefully people won't get too carried away with it. Hopefully, he'll be a nice horse for the summer for Sheikh Ahmed. I think going up in trip suits him as a mile is very much the bare minimum for him. I think at a mile and a quarter plus he could be a nice horse - Ed Bethell, trainer."
2026-04-07 - PontefractRace History for Haayimm
Magical Merlot
3yo b Gelding (GB)Connections
Jockey: Lauren Young(5)
Trainer: Ed Dunlop
Newmarket, Suffolk
Owner: Johnny Hall
Breeding
Sire: Make Believe (GB)
Dam: Melodic Motion (IRE)
Damsire: Nathaniel (IRE)
Breeder: The Melodic Motion Partnership
Ratings & Stats
Spotlight
Brighton novice winner last season at 1m; gelded in November; perhaps needed his first run back and then he stuck on gamely for a close third at Windsor (1m, good to firm); could step up again but will need to in this better race.
Comment
Recent Windsor third; could step up again but will need to in this better race
Medical History
Wind Surgery (2025-03-26)Race History for Magical Merlot
Blues And Royals
3yo b Gelding (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Pierre-Louis Jamin
Trainer: Michael Bell
Newmarket, Suffolk
Owner: D Fish, S Jones & J Barnett
Breeding
Sire: Space Blues (IRE)
Dam: Tiritomba (IRE)
Damsire: Exceed And Excel (AUS)
Breeder: Cooneen Stud
Ratings & Stats
Spotlight
Maintained his progress when repelling Victory Ace for a second AW success in May (1m) and Sandown last time didn't go entirely to plan after hitting traffic; remains of interest.
Comment
Dual AW winner and Sandown last time didn't go entirely to plan; remains of interest
Race History for Blues And Royals
Strength Of Spirit
3yo b Gelding (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Paul Mulrennan
Trainer: K R Burke
Coverham, North Yorkshire
Owner: Hambleton Racing Ltd XXXV & E Burke
Breeding
Sire: Ulysses (IRE)
Dam: Tallow (IRE)
Damsire: Kodiac (GB)
Breeder: Tom Twomey
Ratings & Stats
Spotlight
Has done well for one who opened his account in a seller, bagging his second handicap over 1m here in April; however, progress has stalled, markedly so in his last two races (competitive ones admittedly).
Comment
Three wins but progress has stalled, markedly so in his last two races
Quotes
"The race went exactly as I hoped it would, with a strong pace. Strength Of Spirit doesn't do a lot when he hits the front and I thought Sam might have got there a little bit too soon. We gelded him after his last run last year. He's a little bit of a monkey, he saves a bit for himself and I don't think he was overdoing himself when he hit the front there. We'll see what the handicapper does and he'll step up again - Karl Burke, trainer."
2026-04-04 - MusselburghPrevious Owners
- Hambleton Racing Xlviii & Mrs E Burke (until 2026-04-18)
Race History for Strength Of Spirit
Monoceros
3yo b Gelding (GB)Connections
Jockey: Andrew Mullen
Trainer: Iain Jardine
Carrutherstown, D'fries & G'way
Owner: G Gibson & Jamie Denholm
Breeding
Sire: Dubawi (IRE)
Dam: Shirocco Star (GB)
Damsire: Shirocco (GER)
Breeder: Meon Valley Stud
Ratings & Stats
Spotlight
Pulled up on his final run for Godolphin but his first two efforts read well; joined current yard for 25,000gns and kept on takingly for third behind Strength Of Spirit over 1m here in April (handicap debut); open to improvement.
Comment
Useful for Godolphin and still lightly raced; likeable stable debut when third here
Previous Trainers
- Charlie Appleby (until 2026-03-30)
Previous Owners
- Godolphin (until 2026-03-30)
Race History for Monoceros
Victory Ace
3yo b Gelding (GB)Connections
Jockey: Rhys Elliott(5)
Trainer: John Butler
Newmarket, Suffolk
Owner: Northumbria Leisure Ltd
Breeding
Sire: Zoustar (AUS)
Dam: Rumaythah (IRE)
Damsire: Kodiac (GB)
Breeder: Victorious Racing Limited & Fawzi Nass
Ratings & Stats
Spotlight
Picked up from Roger Varian for 40,000gns; edged home on his handicap debut over 7f and again did his best work late at Kempton (1m) when closing in on Blues And Royals with whom he's closely matched; goes further again here with little weight to carry and he has to be feared.
Comment
Lightly raced gelding who is improving steadily and he's raised again in distance
Previous Trainers
- Roger Varian (until 2025-11-29)
Previous Owners
- Victorious Racing & Fawzi Nass (until 2025-11-29)
Race History for Victory Ace
Pandemonium
3yo b Colt (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Oisin Orr
Trainer: Simon & Ed Crisford
Newmarket, Suffolk
Owner: Rabbah Racing
Breeding
Sire: No Nay Never (USA)
Dam: Panthere (GB)
Damsire: Sea The Stars (IRE)
Breeder: Lynch Bages & Camas Park Stud
Ratings & Stats
Spotlight
Last year's two wins were over 7f on soft/good to soft before finishing tailed off in a Group 2; he worryingly suffered the same fate on handicap debut at the Craven meeting (1m, good) since when he's been gelded; has a few questions to answer now and the cheekpieces are new.
Comment
Won his first two races but desperate since; now gelded and tried in cheekpieces
Quotes
"We've always liked Pandemonium, ever since we saw him at the sales. Today was about giving him a little bit more experience and match practice. Going to the track, going through the gate, all those things are important and we wanted to give him another run in a novice before he goes into deeper company. If the horse is well and we're happy with him we'll look at the Horris Hill at Newbury in a couple of weeks. He obviously goes on the soft ground and he's very much a horse to look forward to for next year - Simon Crisford, joint-trainer."
2025-10-04 - RedcarRace History for Pandemonium
Evening Blues
3yo b Gelding (IRE)Connections
Jockey: David Allan
Trainer: Stephen Hanlon
Constable Burton, N Yorks
Owner: Chris Priestley & Dave Flynn
Breeding
Sire: Blue Point (IRE)
Dam: Majestic Silver (IRE)
Damsire: Linamix (FR)
Breeder: Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd
Ratings & Stats
Spotlight
AW winner for Ger Lyons, for whom he was 1-7; weak in the betting when fifth of 11 on yard debut at Wetherby but, although he wasn't beaten far, that was a Class 4; the hood that worked well for him in Ireland now returns.
Comment
Close fifth at Wetherby and the hood that worked well for him in Ireland now returns
Previous Trainers
- G M Lyons (until 2026-04-20)
Previous Owners
- Moyglare Stud Farm (until 2026-04-20)
Race History for Evening Blues
