Mark Johnston took Musselburgh by storm

The haul was sealed in the £75,000 Queen’s Cup by 13-2 chance Themaxwecan who was completing a treble for Ben Curtis.

“The drying ground helped and he’s a horse that has run over two miles plus,” said the Irishman. “We couldn’t get too close early on due to our draw but I crept onto the heels of the leaders at the far end of the back straight. He’s picked up well once I asked him and it’s a nice early son prize to win.”

Themaxwecan carries the colours of Scottish owner Douglas Livingston who was in attendance to see his five-year-old prevail by a neck from Hollie Doyle-ridden Cardano.

Johnston and Curtis also teamed up to land the Royal Mile Handicap with top-weight Naamoos who led home stablemate Forest Falcon for a one-two for the Kingsley House trainer.

Curtis had earlier sparked off his three-timer on The Gatekeeper who was Johnston’s first two-year-old  winner of the campaign.

Johnston’s son and assistant Charlie said: “We’ve a had a decent winter and the horses are all looking running well. We traditionally use this meeting to really get going and I’m delighted the way things have turned out.”

There was a thrilling finish to the Scottish Sprint Cup with Jabbarockie an all-the-way short-head winner from Zarzyni for Preston trainer Eric Alston.

Jason Hart, who rode the 4-1 joint-favourite, said: “He’s all speed and that’s the way he runs, he stays five-furlongs very well. Even though it was a photo-finish I thought we had just hung on and he’s a horse that usually runs well fresh.”

By Gordon Brown for Scottish Racing.