YES WE CAN was an easy winner over Neigh Thanks in a specially staged Ladbrokes Referendum Race at Musselburgh.

With the Scotttish vote for independence on the horizon, the Edinburgh venue linked up with the sponsors to stage the two-horse affair.

Both horses were provided by Scottish trainer Jim Goldie and despite the race being run in thick fog, it was apparent from some way out that Yes We Can was heavily on top and she won by four lengths.

If recent polls are to be believed, the real thing will be a much more closely run affair.

“It was a terrific bit of fun,” said Goldie.

“I’m chuffed for Rachael (Grant) as she’ll get the bragging rights over Carol (Bartley). The ground went against her horse (real name Midnight Dynamo) to be fair, we thought it was going to be fast ground.

“I told them I’d rather provide them with the two horses than just one.

“The winner was really called Black Douglas and the irony is he was one of William Wallace’s right-hand men.

“I’m not prepared to say which way I’m voting, my line is that victory will be democracy.”

A meting in Scotland rarely passes without a winner for Glasgow-based Goldie and that came via Merchant Of Dubai in the Best In Handicap Stakes (Qualifier for the £15000 Betfair Scottish Stayers’ Series Final).

Nine were supposed to go to post for the mile-and-a-half handicap but only four ran due to the softening of the ground.

The 6-5 favourite had to work hard to see off El Bravo, but won by a length and a quarter under Graham Lee.

“It’s the first time he’s been able to drop into that class,” said Goldie.

“He did it well and maybe the rain helped him. He’s an old stalwart.

“He’ll probably go for the final, but we’ll have to see what the handicapper does as I’d convinced him to drop him to 70 so I could run him in these races.”

Karl Burke has enjoyed a terrific season with his juveniles and Tecumseh was the latest to register a victory in the Best One Nursery Handicap.

It was the 21st win by a twoyear- old trained by Burke this season, at a strike-rate of over 20 per cent.

The Middleham handler has made no secret of the fact he felt this year’s crop were the best he had ever had and the exploits of Toocoolforschool, Glenalmond and Explosive Lady have proved that.

Tecumseh is not one of the leading lights among the team, but the fitting of a hood for the first time he was able to win on his nursery debut in fine style.

The fog affected the first half of the card but when the runners came into view leading apprentice Joey Haynes had delivered his challenge down the middle of the track, pulling a length and a quarter clear of Poolstock.

It was a 36th winner of 2014 for Haynes.

Tim Easterby’s Deepsand (11-4) won on the Flat for the first time in three years in the Batleys Cash And Carry Handicap.

David Allan was never far from the pace on the 11-4 shot and he battled on gamely to beat Underwritten by half a length.

The Keith Dalgleishtrained Danot handled the step up to seven furlongs in the Batleys Foodservice Selling Stakes.

Sent off at 11-4 due to stamina doubts, despite having the highest official rating, he is declared to run back over five furlongs at Beverley on Wednesday.

David O’Meara’s Stand My Ground (8-15 favourite) had plenty in hand on official figures in the Drinks Express Claiming Stakes but he was made to pull out all the stops by Valantino Oyster.

Groovejet will be trained this autumn in the hope of making the cut for the Betfred Cesarewitch at Newmarket.

Despite having finished second in the Group Two Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster last week, owner-breeder Phil Cunningham feels the big staying handicap on November 11 represents too good an opportunity to pass up.

The daughter of the Cunningham- owned Cockney Rebel, who won both the English and Irish Guineas in 2007, has this summer improved each time she has gone up in trip and in class.