KELSO REVIEW - Saturday 5th November

by Bill Harvey

Pearl captures Kelso showcase and Scots trainers’ treble

 

 

Stagecoach Pearl (5-2 fav) lifted the £15,500 Mayfield Restaurant Chase in gallant style for West Yorkshire trainer Sue Smith in front of a 3700 crowd at Kelso on Saturday 5 November.

 

Henry Oliver gave the seven-year-old grey a confident front-running ride to beat James Ewart’s gallant runner-up Sa Suffit by two lengths in the two-mile one-furlong showcase.

 

“He’s a superb jumper and quite a smart horse. He should stay further but is not easy to place,” said Smith, wife of legendary show jumper Harvey Smith.

 

Malcolm Jefferson’s The Panama Kid (3-1 fav) sealed a hat-trick in winning the Persimmon Homes Handicap Chase under Harry Haynes, beating the game Garleton by a length in a cracking finish.

 

Lucinda Russell, Andrew Parker and Jim Goldie celebrated winners on a great afternoon for Scottish trainers at the Borders track.

 

Rowdy Rocher (12-1) and Peter Buchanan won the novices’ hurdle for Russell, Super Ally (7-2) and Timmy Murphy landed the novices’ handicap chase for Parker and Soprano won the three-mile three-furlong handicap hurdle under Henry Brooke for Goldie at odds of 7-2.

 

Lucy Alexander is riding in great form and the 21-year-old scored on Storm Surge in the Ferneyhill Handicap Chase for Martin Todhunter at 17-2 – her third winner in three days.

 

Chris Grant and Alex Voy joined forces to lift the two-mile two-furlong handicap hurdle with 15-2 winner Flaygray.