Updates
Season Finale, Sunday 30th May
Annual Members of the racecourse at Kelso will be permitted to attend the final race meeting of the season on Sunday 30th May, following approval by the local authorities. The meeting will be the first sporting event in the Borders to be permitted a crowd, albeit a very small one.
No additional tickets will be sold for the race meeting which is subject to a heavy restriction on numbers as part of a trial which could lead to larger crowds in the Autumn.
Managing Director Jonathan Garratt said “We are relieved that the local authority has approved access for our annual members in addition to racehorse owners. Both groups have been incredibly patient and supportive throughout the long and highly restricted winter season. We very much hope that, following our summer break, we can open our gates to a wider audience and extend our usual warm welcome.”
Denholm trainer Alison Hamilton is looking for a big run from her stable star Skyhill before he gets turned out to grass for the Summer. The two-time course winner is set to be ridden by the trainer’s nephew Jamie Hamilton in the Racing TV Supports Racing Handicap Hurdle.
Mrs Hamilton, who has around a dozen horses at her Dykes Farm House yard, said: “As long as he ground is okay we want to give him one more race to set him up for his summer holidays. He had a really good spell two seasons ago when he won four races in-a-row, including two at Kelso, but he went up two stone for that and he hasn’t won since. He’s only come down 9lbs and is still paying for that really good season.
“We’ve given him a tiny operation on his soft palate to aid his breathing. Jamie gets on really well with him and the other jockeys are always commenting down at the start saying what a small horse he is. He’s not the easiest to get on with so he has to go to post early and can pull your arms out but he always tries his best in the race.”
Skyhill is one of 19 entries in the near 3m 2f event and possible opposition include course and distance winners Court Baloo and Dequall, trained by Alistair Whillans and Stuart Coltherd respectively.
Do Not Disturb is another returning Kelso scorer and Rose Dobbin’s charge is among the nine entries for the Subscribe To Racing TV Novices’ Handicap Chase over 2m 7f. Craig Nichol has again been booked for the ride after steering his partner to a handsome six and a half length victory in early May.
Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning pilot Paddy Brennan has been ‘jocked up’ on Valentino Dancer by Fergal O’Brien in the William Hill Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle. Gloucestershire-base O’Brien enjoyed a personal-best 104 winners last season when both his runners at Kelso were successful - his overall course strike-rate of 45 per-cent is his highest on any jumps track in Britain.
Sunday 11th April 2021
ALMAZHAR GARDE, sent off at 9-4 second favourite, made it two from two at Kelso when storming home in the feature race at the borders track on Sunday.
Ridden by Gavin Sheehan, the Charlie Longsdon-trained top-weight led all the way to slam On A Promise by eleven lengths in the Every Race Live On Racing TV Handicap Chase.
Sheehan said: “Apart from the second, he did everything brilliantly. I managed to get a breather into him and he’s stayed on strongly. Charlie trained his full brother Hammersly Lake and he raced through the summer so that’s an option for this fellow as well.”
Lucinda Russell and Derek Fox teamed to win the Join RacingTV Live Now Handicap Chase with Mannochmore who made all to score by lengths. “It seems the best way to ride most of our horses at the moment and he’s seen the trip out well,” Russell said. “We weren’t sure if he would stay and this was just his second start over fences.”
Russell and Fox competed a 43-1 double when Bollingerandkrug took the Manners Le Gracon d’Dor Handicap Hurdle for owners Debs Thomson and Colin Dempster. A delighted Dempster was one of a few dozen racehorse owners who were able to watch the races at the racecourse, following an industry agreement that owners could attend at the start of this month.
Crowds are not yet permitted to attend sporting events and so there are currently no tickets on sale for future Kelso meetings, although the racecourse management is awaiting further information from the Scottish Government in the hope that the public may be able to attend public events later in the year.
The Buccleuch Cup, a maiden hunters’ chase which has a long history at Kelso, went to Rules debutant Rio Des Echanault, ridden by 32-year-old Nick Orpwood and trained by Jessica McKie, daughter of former National Point To Point Champion Jockey Ian McKie.
The famous green and yellow colours were once carried by 1972 Grand National winner Well To Do and the hugely popular chaser Dublin Flyer. While Rio Des Echanault would have to progress a good deal further to emulate that great pair, he could well have a fruitful campaign ahead of him in Novice Chases.
The next race meeting at Kelso is set to take place, behind closed doors, on Wednesday 5th May.
Tuesday 23rd March 2021
Report from Monday / Preview Saturday…
Monday’s Racing at Kelso
The action is coming fast and furious at Kelso. Just five days after a cracking card on Monday, there is £136,000 up for grabs for another seven-race behind-closed-doors meeting at the Borders venue on Saturday, 27th March.
The opening race on Monday’s programme was named to celebrate The Shunter, who carried off a bonus of £100,000 last week by following up his win in the bet365 Morebattle Hurdle with a famous victory at the Cheltenham Festival. The race was won by Dequall, trained by Selkirk-based Stuart Coltherd who said “There was a wee bit of a concern about the quicker ground but he’s tough and saw it out well. It’s as far as he’s won over so we should have a few options for him now.”
Court Master earned himself a crack at the Grand National fences after a gutsy performance in the LCS Joinery 50 Years Of Trading Handicap Chase. Sent off at 100-30, he was given a power-packed ride by Brendan Powell to pip front-running Schiehallion Munro in the day’s feature race.
Winning trainer Michael Scudamore said: “He doesn’t like the testing winter conditions and this better ground was more to his liking. We’re looking towards a spring campaign and the Topham Trophy at Aintree next month is a possibility as he is such a good jumper.”
Nick Alexander was on the mark with Chanting Hill, a six-length winner under Henry Brooke in the Novices’ Handicap Chase. The Kinneston trainer said: “Three miles round Musselburgh didn’t suit her last time and this was a lot better today. She likes this ground so there should be plenty of opportunities in the coming few weeks.”
Saturday’s Action
Saturday’s programme forms part of the valuable ‘Go North Weekend’ of racing. Supported by the British Horseracing Authority and sponsored by The Racing Post, the three day event starts at Carlisle on Friday before moving on to Kelso on Saturday and Musselburgh on Sunday the centre day of the three.
Jonathan Garratt, Managing Director of Kelso said, “The original plan was for spectators to be encouraged to stay in the region and visit all three racecourses. Sadly that’s not possible because of Covid, but we’ve decided to retain the races because it will build anticipation for next year.”
Saltburn-by-the-Sea trainer Gillian Boanas has two exciting entries including Crixus’s Escape, in the Paxtons For Kverneland in The Borders Handicap Chase, and Sultans Pride in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle; both races carrying a guaranteed pot of £35,000.
Gillian said: “The prize money is again very good at Kelso. Crixus’s Escape has won there before but he disappointed in the Edinburgh Gin Chase in February and it turned out he had a breathing issue so he has had some wind surgery. That should help him a lot although we could do with a bit of rain before Saturday.
“Sultans Pride has been in terrific form and he won his third race of the season at Doncaster recently. Brian Hughes is quite excited about him and he will make a lovely staying chaser next season.”
Potential rivals to Crixus’s Escape include Nicky Richards-trained Chapel Style and Claud And Goldie, a local raider from Sandy Forster’s Yetholm stables who carries and extra 5lbs for his third win at Kelso in February.
Opposition to Sultans Pride could see Mr Harp, second in a Grade 2 hurdle at Haydock last month, become the first course runner for St Albans trainer Thomas Gallagher while Middleham-based Jedd O’Keeffe has already booked Henry Brooke for the ride on his mare Miah Grace who has already been placed in Class 2 company this spring.
The other feature race is the £30,000 William Hill Leading Racecourse Bookmaker Handicap Hurdle and it will be interesting to see if Tommy’s Oscar is in the line-up come Saturday. Trained in Northumberland by Ann Hamilton, he was a big gamble prior to finishing sixth in the bet365 Morebattle Hurdle. The form of the ‘Morebattle’ could be tested further as third placed Favoir (Dan Skelton) and eighth home Christopher Wood (Paul Nicholls) are also entered in the valuable two-miler.
Bumper entries for the bet365 Morebattle Hurdle
THE re-vamped bet365 Morebattle Hurdle, the £75,000 centrepiece of ITV Racing’s coverage from Kelso on Saturday 6th March, has attracted a tremendous 49 entries with the winner set for a £100,000 bonus should they go on to land any race at the Cheltenham Festival.
There are five horses rated 150 or higher and the top-rated entry on 159 is Cornerstone Lad, trained by Micky Hammond, the winner of the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle in 2019.
Esprit Du Large, trained by Evan Williams, is a Grade 1 winner over fences having landed the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown in 2019 and there are several other Grade 2 and Grade 3 winners among a quality initial entry. Eleven-time champion trainer Paul Nicholls has pencilled in six horses with progressive Christopher Wood the highest rated on 150.
The top-rated of Nicky Henderson’s trio is Call Me Lord (150), who ran in last year’s Champion Hurdle for his six-time champion trainer. Olly Murphy-trained Brewin’upastorm, on a lofty 155, is a winning chaser but is also a smart hurdler as he illustrated when runner-up in Grade 1 company at Aintree two years ago.
The sole Irish entry is The Shunter, trained by Emmet Mullins and the winner of the Grade 3 Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham in November. Scottish trainers are responsible for six entries with Iain Jardine’s Voix Du Reve, a Grade 1 chase winner when with Willie Mullins, the highest rated on 149.
Kelso Managing Director Jonathan Garratt said, “Sponsored for the first time by bet365, we decided to move the Morebattle to March where it will become the feature race of Kelso’s richest-ever raceday with £209,000 up for grabs. The supporting card features the Grade 2 Premier Hurdle and the Listed Premier Chase, so it will be quite an event.
Bet365 have already formed an ante-post market and they have installed Prochema as the 8-1 favourite. A very smart horse on the Flat, he has taken to hurdles well since joining Dan Skelton and is the winner of two ‘jumpers bumpers’ at Newcastle recently.
For more information: contact Gordon Brown on T: 07850 258063 or Jonathan Garratt
on T: 01573 221221 / 07771 660114
Entries Close at Noon Today for the bet365 Morebattle Hurdle
The bet365 Morebattle Hurdle has moved from mid-February to become the headline event on a bumper £209,000 programme, at Kelso Racecourse, on Saturday 6th March. The seven-race card, which already features the bet365 Premier Novices Hurdle (Grade 2) and the bet365 Premier Steeplechase (Listed Race), will be augmented by the bet365 Morebattle Hurdle (handicap) which will a prize fund of £75,000.
In addition, the winner of the bet365 Morebattle Hurdle will be eligible for a bonus of £100,000 if going on to win any race at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival. We are indebted to our sponsors bet365 for their generous support which has helped to bring this long term plan to fruition.
Entries for the bet365 Morebattle Hurdle will close at noon today 16th February. Entries for all other races on 6thMarch will close at the normal 6-day stage.
Festive Family Fun ahead of £60,000 Persimmon Homes Scottish Borders National.
Father Christmas will be greeting young racegoers at Kelso Racecourse’s Festive Family Raceday on Sunday 8th December. There will be fun activities for children in the Pavilion Marquee, next to the parade ring - where older racegoers can enjoy a view of the horses ahead of one Scotland’s most valuable racedays.
The Greenlaw based trainer Sandy Thomson will bid to extend his remarkable record in the £60,000 Persimmon Homes Scottish Borders National. Despite being one of the most competitive events of the season, no other trainer has won the marathon feature since 2013. Thomson scored with Neptune Equester in 2014 and 2015, and with Harry The Viking in 2016 and 2018, the race having been abandoned in between. Thompson could be two handed in this year’s race with Harry The Viking and the recent Kelso scorer Caventara.
Joint top-weighted for the race are the Sue Smith trained Sharp Response and Mysteree, who carried the colours of Bonnyrigg owner Lynne Maclennan to victory in the valuable Belhaven Brewery Steeplechase at Kelso in October.
A maximum of sixteen of the thirty entries will be permitted to line up for the race. Other likely candidates include Kelso winner ACDC and the Maurice Barnes trained Bafana Blue. The Worcestershire based trainer Dr Richard Newland, who struck with Royale Knight back in 2013, has two entries in Aaron Lad and No Hassle Hoff.
The £40,000 Edinburgh Gin Veterans’ Steeplechase has attracted a quality entry including the 152-rated Outlander, trained in Newmarket by Richard spencer. He was ninth behind Tiger Roll in April’s Grand National and is a triple Grade 1 winner over fences in Ireland. Possible rivals include last year’s winner Cultram Abbey, trained by Nicky Richards and Indian Temple for the father and son team Tim and Harry Reid.
The £20,000 Paris Pike Novices Steeplechase, sponsored by Mrs Ivan Straker, is the second race on the programme and never fails to highlight some of the best emerging talent in the North. Punters looking for clues should follow the betting as the last three favourites for the race have all won. The Harriet Graham trained Aye Right, a four time winner at the course over hurdles, could make his debut over fences for his owner Geoff Adam who is a director of the racecourse.
The Robert Eggo Handicap Hurdle Race has been sponsored in memory of one of Kelso’s most dedicated followers and has attracted a bumper entry. The list of stables with entries reads like a who’s who of Scottish and northern trainers. The Ruth Jefferson trained Temple Man, who runs in the colours of Mrs Ivan Straker, could be the answer if he settles in the race.
November Saturday Recap - 9th November 2019
RYAN MANIA was back in the winners’ enclosure at Kelso for the first time since his return to action on October 28. The Grand National-winning pilot, who quit the saddle around five years ago after losing his battle with the scales, struck on Caventara trained by his stepfather-in-law Sandy Thomson.
Speaking following his ninth comeback ride Mania, 30, said: “It’s such a relief not having to sweat and I’ve never felt better. The difference is all to do with exercise and nutrition and it’s great to come back and do it at my local track - now I just want to kick on from here.”
Borders-born Mania’s finest hour came when he scooped the 2013 National aboard 66-1 chance Auroras Encore and he rolled back the years as he scored on his bold-jumping 9-2 partner.
Thomson added: “Hats off to Ryan as he is riding as well as ever and we’re delighted to have him back riding for us. With his experience, it’s a huge help having him in the yard sitting on the horses.” Referring to all-the-way scorer Caventara, he said: “His dam L’Aventure won the Borders National in 2009 and he could be back here for that next month.”
Well Above Par also made all the running as he romped to victory for Thomas Willcott in the featured IJF Wishing Well Handicap Chase.
Winning trainer Lucinda Russell said: “He sulked a bit at Perth so I’m delighted for the syndicate that have him. He’s a big, strong type and he loves his jumping. Tom has done a great job with him.”
Court Baloo extended his winning sequence to four when taking the 3m 2f handicap hurdle for Alistair Whillans and Ross Chapman. The Hawick raider began his winning run at Hexham in early September and Whillans said: “He’s in great form and I remember when we had Major Bell he won five in a row over fences in 1996.”
Well-backed from 10-1 into 4-1, Bruce Lynn-ridden Spirit Of Kayf landed a touch for the Nick Alexander yard in the 2m 5f handicap hurdle. The Leslie trainer said: “We used Bruce’s 7lb claim as he had top-weight and isn’t the biggest of horses. He’s been fragile and was well-treated on his best form.”
Santa Claus is expected to be in attendance at Kelso’s next fixture, the Festive Family Raceday on Sunday 8th December. Children are admitted free of charge and can expect a gift from Santa if they’ve been well behaved. The feature race is the £60,000 Persimmon Homes Scottish Borders National.
IJF Wishing Well Chase Day, Saturday 9th November
The £30,000 feature race of Saturday’s fixture at Kelso Racecourse celebrates the discovery of a wishing well during the development of the new parade ring less than eighteen months ago.
An unusual structure to be found on a racecourse, the well is believed to be more than 200 years old and lay hidden beneath the main public concourse before the development works began. It was subsequently incorporated into the design of the parade ring viewing steps. Any coins tossed into its water are collected for the Injured Jockeys Fund.
The 2 mile 5 furlong event was won last year by Charlie Mann’s Fixed Rate and the Lambourn trainer has another contender in the shape of The Dubai Way, a winner on his most recent outing which came at Plumpton in March.
Rose Dobbin has her horses fit and healthy after a quiet spell last season. The Northumberland based trainer, who enjoyed a winner at Kelso’s last fixture and scored with Jonniesofa at Ayr on Saturday, is represented by Slanelough.
The big race entries include five previous Kelso winners including ACDC, trained by Chris Grant, Beau Sancy, Bernardelli, Clan Legend and Western Rules. The highest rated horse, on a BHA mark of 131, is Scoop The Pot who is owned by J P McManus and trained by in-form Ben Haslam.
The first race on the programme, the George Harrow Memorial Novices Hurdle Race, has gone to the favourite for the past three renewals and always features some classy individuals. Top trainers such Nicky Richards, Charlie Longsdon, Olly Murphy and Donald McCain could all have runners and the winner will be worth noting for the future.
In addition to the Injured Jockeys Fund there will be opportunities to support the armed forces charity SSAFA, who will be taking over the charity tea room, as well as World Horse Welfare for whom Bruce Farms have sponsored the second race. Local trainer Alison Hamilton will be seeking to make it a family affair with Choix Des Armes ridden by Jamie Hamilton.
Rose Dobbin’s Jack Devine, with Craig Nichol already booked to ride, returns to Kelso for the Graeme Todd and Friends Handicap Hurdle at 1.20pm, a race he won last year.
Lucinda Russell has made a habit of winning the Ian Anderson Memorial Handicap Chase, having taken two of the last three runnings. Scotland’s leading jumps trainer is five-handed at the entry stage with Ain’t My Fault, Effet Special, Le Frank, Saint Freule and Well Above Par.
The family of the late John Urwin, one of Kelso Racecourse’s most ardent supporters, will be on hand to present mementos to the winning connections of the race named in John’s honour at 3.05pm. Donald McCain has a choice of three for the 2½ mile handicap hurdle race including Cousin Oscar, Ormesherand Quids In.
The first of seven races gets under way at 12.10pm and the gates open at 10.00am.
ITV Racing Team at Kelso, Saturday 23rd March
Ed Chamberlin will lead the ITV Racing Team when they make their appearance at Kelso Racecourse this Saturday, 23rd March. Together with regular pundits Mick Fitzgerald, Luke Harvey and Sally Ann Grassick, plus the commentator Richard Hoiles, Chamberlin will present four races live from Kelso including the £50,000 Liz Adam Memorial Handicap Steeplechase.
The feature race of the day has proved a useful stepping stone, in recent years, for emerging equine talent. Lake View Lad, who was third last year, is a leading fancy for next month's Grand National for Scottish trainer Nick Alexander, while the 2015 winner The Last Samuri went on to finish runner-up in the following year's Aintree marathon.
While the likely top-weight is the Paul Nicholls-trained Adrien Du Pont, a winner at Kempton’s Christmas Meeting, much of the interest will centre around dual Kelso winner Blue Flight. Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and owned by Dundee United football club director Jimmy Fyffe, the huge-framed novice chaser is progressing rapidly and looks like a star in the making.
The official going description is ‘Soft’, increasing the likelihood of larger field sizes for the six-race programme which gets underway at 1.50pm.
The first race is the £20,000 EBF / TBA Mares Novices Steeplechase which has attracted eleven entries including the five-time Kelso winner Alizee De Janeiro and the classy southern raider Dalila Du Seuil. Trained by Lucinda Russell, Alizee De Janeiro has already won three races at Kelso this season and is likely to head off to stud later in the year. Any progeny will be expected to become hot favourites at the Borders track!
The £40,000 Bernhard Handicap Hurdle, over 2 miles, is the second race on the programme and while there’ll be no repeat victory for Keyboard Gangster, the Hawick trainer winner from last year, although there’ll be local support for the James Ewart trained Aristo du Plessis, the Pauline Robson trained Martila and Sandy Thomson’s Saint Leo.
The ITV programme will be completed by the £40,000 Paxtons Exclusively Kvernland Handicap Hurdle Race. Trainer Sandy Thomson could hold the key once again, as the Greenlaw trainer is triple-handed with Arthurs Secret, Seemorelights and Buckled. Last year's second Donna's Diamond could be in the line-up once again for Chris Grant in the black and white stripe colours of North East owner David Armstrong.
Mount Mews, who won the Premier Hurdle at Kelso when trained by Malcolm Jefferson, is entered for both of the valuable hurdle races on the programme. Now trained by Donald McCain, the Trevor Hemmings owned gelding declined to race when getting over-excited at Cheltenham where he looked fit and potentially well-treated by the handicapper.
The fifth race on the card, which will be run immediately after ITV go off-air, is the Ashleybank Investments Reg and Betty Tweedie Handicap Chase. Named to commemorate the influential couple, both of whom became Patrons to the racecourse in their own right, the race offers Caraline an opportunity for back-to-back wins after her strike for Middleham trainer Micky Hammond last year. Rebecca Menzies has her horses in great form and she has already booked Conor O'Farrell for recent Catterick winner Halcyon Days.
The biggest entry on the entire card is for the final race, the Ferguson Planning & Development Handicap Hurdle, which could divide if more than half of the entries declare to run. The race is well supported by Lucinda Russell whose four entries include: Ain't My Fault, Saint Freule, Sammy B and Touchedbyanangel.
The gates open at 12 noon.
Grand National Contenders Converge on Kelso
Kelso Racecourse stages the most valuable fixture of the weekend on Saturday 2nd March, when the £60,000 Belhaven Brewery Premier Chase has attracted a quality field including all three of Scotland's contenders for the 2019 Grand National - 2017 hero One For Arthur, Captain Redbeard and Lake View Lad.
Captain Redbeard's Selkirk trainer Stuart Coltherd said: "He's in tip-top form and it's a good race on our doorstep. He beat Definitly Red nicely at Kelso last time and the plan is to go at his stage."
Nick Alexander, trainer of Lake View Lad, said: "It's really exciting to have a Grand National horse in the yard. We will make a decision nearer the time as he is ground dependant and a better horse when the going is soft."
One For Arthur is trained by Lucinda Russell who said: "Unlike on his way to winning the National, nothing has gone smoothly this time. He schooled on Saturday morning and we are pleased with him but he is also ground dependent and it wouldn’t be the worst thing if he went to Aintree without another run."
The home team could face some stiff opposition from the South including the Paul Nicholls-trained Black Corton, a prolific winner normally ridden by Bryony Frost, who holds a Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National entry. The top-rated entry is Nicky Henderson's Terrefort, twice a Grade 1 winner last season, who has a BHA mark of 159.
Paul Nicholls could have a strong say in the feature race of the day, the £50,000 Edinburgh Gin Premier Hurdle. He’s three handed at the entry-stage with smart juvenile Pic D'Orhy, Getaway Trump and Southfield Stone. Nicholls won the event in 2016 with Le Prezien.
Five-time champion jumps trainer Nicky Henderson could saddle Dream Du Grand Val, a winner on Kelso's Morebattle Hurdle card recently. Aye Right represents Jedburgh trainer Harriet Graham while Elvis Mail could run for the Kinneston stable Nick Alexander.
The second race on the programme, a 2-mile Novices Steeplechase, is named for Nick Alexander’s late father Cyril and was won by the stable’s Clan Legend when the race was last run in 2017. There’ll be no Kinneston runner in this year’s renewal, but neighbouring Lucinda Russell could run dual Kelso winner Alizee De Janeiro.
Russell could have numerous chances on the valuable card, which carries £163,000 of prize money, including the J. P McManus-owned Grand Morning in the final race of the day, a £12,000 handicap hurdle. Twice a late withdrawal recently, this could be the ideal opening for a horse who completed a hat-trick last spring. Nicky Richards' Glittering Love has a more recent winning sequence as he struck for the third successive time at Ayr in early February.
The gates open at 11.30am on Saturday and the first race is due off at 1.40pm.
Top Quality at Kelso’s Morebattle Hurdle Day.
The British Horseracing Authority allowed racing to resume, following a 6 day break after an equine influenza outbreak, just in time for Morebattle Hurdle Day at Kelso. While many racing stables were not quite cleared to have runners in time, leading to smaller fields than usual, the quality of the horses on display was not in question.
Captain Redbeard, sent off at 9/2, upset sole rival and red hot favourite Definitely Red in the £25,000 Malcolm Jefferson Memorial Chase at Kelso on Thursday.
Having sat in behind the front-running 1/6 favourite for much of the race, Sam Coltherd kicked for home aboard Captain Redbeard from the second last and the pair saw off the North’s main hope for the Cheltenham Gold Cup by two lengths.
Winning Selkirk-based trainer Stuart Coltherd said: “That was the plan and Sam rode him to perfection sitting on the tail of Danny Cook on the favourite. We didn’t want the race to develop into a battle and Captain Redbeard has quite a lot of speed for a staying chaser.
“His jumping is better when they go a decent gallop and I’m delighted with that. We only got the all clear to run due to the equine flu outbreak at tea time last night so it was touch and go. His target again is the Grand National and he might be a wee bit well in with 9st 13lb now! He may have one more run before Aintree, possibly back here in the Premier Chase.”
Despite the upset, Definitely Red looks likely to go to Cheltenham next month where his stamina is likely to deployed to better effect. In the meantime, Brian Ellison and owners Julie and Phil Martin gained some compensation when Bordeaux Bill squeaked home at 4/1 in the Brewin Dolphin Handicap Hurdle, a head in front of the Jedburgh trained odds-on favourite Aye Right.
There was a victory for Jedburgh based jockey Callum Bewley aboard Blue Flight in the Timeform Novices Steeplechase. The 2/1 favourite is trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and will be a name for the not-book when contesting the top staying chases in a year or two.
Nicky Henderson's We Have A Dream, sent off a 1/4 and for some a live contender for the Champion Hurdle, was an emphatic six length winner of the £30,000 Timeform Morebattle Hurdle.
Winning jockey Daryl Jacob said: “He did that very nicely and we were always in the ideal place. His jumping was pretty good even if he was a little untidy at the last and he felt great. I haven’t spoken to the owners yet regarding Cheltenham, so I’m not sure about the Champion Hurdle as they might not want to be too hard on him this season.”
Henderson was completing a short-priced double as the Lambourn trainer took the opening novices’ hurdle with Nico De Boinville-ridden Dream Du Grand Val.
The next race-meeting at Kelso, on Saturday 2nd March, features the £60,000 Premier Chase and the £50 Premier Hurdle Race.
Kelso Races - Morebattle Hurdle Day
The British Horseracing Authority has given the go ahead for racing to go ahead, following a six day shut-down due to Equine Influenza, just in time for Morebattle Hurdle Day at Kelso Racecourse.
The seven race programme has attracted a bumper entry of 180 horses including Definitely Red in the Malcolm Jefferson Memorial Steeplechase. Trained by Brian Ellison, Definitely Red is unbeaten in the highest company this season and is being targeted at the Cheltenham Gold Cup next month.
Run in previous years to commemorate Ivan Straker, the £25,000 Malcolm Jefferson Memorial Chase was won last year by Lucinda Russell’s Big River, owned by the Two Black Labs whose distinctive colours include a silhouette of a black Labrador. Big River is entered once again. Ruth Jefferson, who enjoyed her first winner as a trainer with Cyrus Darius on this card last year, plans to run the promising bumper-horse Black Ebony in the final race of the day, the Racing TV Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.
Other horses that will be using Thursday’s fixture as a springboard to the Cheltenham Festival include We Have A Dream and Pacha Du Polder.
Trained by Nicky Henderson, who is also planning to run Dream Du Grand Val in the £10,000 Novices Hurdle, We Have A Dream is a live contender for the Champion Hurdle and will start a warm favourite for the feature race of the day, the £30,000 Morebattle Hurdle.
Race named after the late Malcolm Jefferson at Morebattle Hurdle Day
Kelso Racecourse will be honouring Malcolm Jefferson, the Cheltenham Festival winning trainer, by naming a race for him on Morebattle Hurdle Day, Thursday 14th February.
Jefferson, who died just over a year ago, is sadly missed by the northern racing fraternity. His four Cheltenham Festival wins came with Dato Star, Tindari, Cape Tribulation and Attaglance.
Notable successes at Kelso Racecourse included the track’s two most prestigious hurdle prizes in 2017. He took the Premier Novices Hurdle with Mount Mews and the Timeform Morebattle Hurdle Race with Cyrus Darius – the horse which provided daughter Ruth with her first winner, last year, in the same race.
Managing Director of Kelso Races Ltd Jonathan Garratt said, “Malcolm was universally admired by fellow trainers in the North and by racegoers, many of whom backed his horses on racing’s biggest stage. It’s fitting that he should be honoured with a staying race of serious quality, which is why we’ve chosen to name our 3 mile, level weights, Class 2 event the Malcolm Jefferson Memorial Steeplechase.”
Run in previous years as the Ivan Straker Memorial Chase, the £25,000 steeplechase was won last year by Lucinda Russell’s Big River, owned by the Two Black Labs whose distinctive colours include a silhouette of a black Labrador. Big River is being aimed at the race once again.
The feature race of the day is the £30,000 Timeform Morebattle Hurdle. A trial for the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, the race was first staged in 1988 and was made popular by Jinxy Jack who gained four wins in-a-row for the late Gordon Richards between 1990 and 1993.
In 2010 Zaynar, at 168 one of the highest rated horses ever to run at Kelso, suffered a major shock when beaten at odds of 1/14 at the hands of Quwetwo. Brian Hughes has become the jockey to follow, as he’s won four of the last six renewals including the last two with Cyrus Darius.
In 2016 Top Notch was successful for Nicky Henderson and the five-time champion jumps trainer is considering running We Have A Dream who runs in the same green colours of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede. The French-bred gelding is being aimed at the Champion Hurdle and was a Grade 1 winner at Aintree's Grand National Festival last spring.
Other races on the seven-race programme, which boasts £100,000 of prize money, include a £10,000 Novice Hurdle, a £14,000 Novices steeplechase and an Open Hunters Steeplechase which could well be targeted by Pacha Du Polder – winner of the last two runnings of the Foxhunter Steeplechase at the Cheltenham Festival.
The first race gets underway at 1.25pm and gates will open at 11.30am.
Festive Crowd to Round Off the Year at Kelso Races
The team behind Kelso Races will be hoping to round-off the year in style on Saturday, 29th December, when the Borders track hosts its final fixture of 2018 with a seven-race programme featuring the £20,000 Children’s Immunology Trust Novices Steeplechase.
Two years ago the feature race was won by the Irish raider Angus Milan, trained by Noel Kelly, in front of a massive crowd. Last year’s race was lost to the weather, but the forecast looks much more favourable this time around with positive night time temperatures and sunny spells predicted for Saturday afternoon.
Debs Thomson, one of the two golf-widows that own Grand National winner One For Arthur, supports the feature race in order to promote the work of the Children’s Immunology Trust. The charity, which is helping to set up an immunology base at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh and fund research at the children’s bone marrow transplant unit in Newcastle, will be raising funds on the raceday.
Despite losing two fixtures when the ‘Beast from the East’ brought snow to the region in March, 2018 has been a record breaking year for Kelso Racecourse. The total amount of prize money offered exceeded £1,250,000 – more than ever before. The course now stages the highest quality jumps programme of any track in Scotland and makes the eighth best contribution to prize money of all the jumps courses in Britain.
In April the ITV racing team broadcast live from the racecourse for the first time in 40 years, when the big race winners included Keyboard Gangster from the Hawick based yard of Donald Whillans. In June worked commenced on the new Parade Ring and Winners Enclosure which was used for the first time amid winds which gusted up to 70 mph at the first fixture of the 2018/19 season in September.
There was more success for local trainers when Sandy Thomson won the £50,000 Persimmon Homes Scottish Borders National with Harry The Viking earlier this month.
Jonathan Garratt, Managing Director of Kelso Races, said “We’re gradually improving the race programme and raising prize values every year. It is really satisfying to see local trainers winning the money as we have such a lot of talent in the Borders. They should be rewarded with more horses, and a higher quality of horse, so that over time we’ll eventually rival the best of the yards in the South.”
Entries for Saturday’s races will be made on Wednesday, slightly later than usual due to the Christmas holiday. The first of the seven races is due off at 11.45pm, with the gates opening at 10.00am. There will be musical entertainment after racing in the Paddock-side marquee.
While there will be plenty of tickets available at the entrance, racegoers can save money by booking online before 2pm on Thursday 27th December – safe in the knowledge that if there were any weather mishaps like last year’s, with no racing taking place, all admission monies would be refunded automatically. Advance tickets are £15, the on-the-day price is £20, while all accompanied children aged 17 and under are admitted free of charge.
Scottish Borders National - 9th December
Preparations are well underway for Kelso’s richest race of the Autumn, the £50,000 Persimmon Homes Scottish Borders National, which will be staged on Sunday 9th December.
In order to provide fresh ground for the big race, the steeplechase fences have been moved sideways during the four week gap since the last race-meeting. The obstacles have been refurbished with fresh birch and the running-rail realigned.
Racehorse owner Jim Beaumont is hoping to lift the trophy for the fourth time in succession, having been successful with Neptune Equester in 2014 and 2015, as well as Harry The Viking in 2016. Beaumont will be relying once again on Harry The Viking who is trained locally by Sandy Thomson.
The 2017 running of the race was abandoned due to heavy frost and officials at the track are hopeful that they’ll escape the cold weather this time around. Jonathan Garratt, Managing Director of Kelso Races Ltd, said “We’ve an excellent covering of grass and we’ve purchased additional ground-cover sheets which help us to protect vulnerable areas from frost.”
£125,000 of prize money will be on offer across the seven race programme, which includes the £30,000 Scotty Brand Veterans Chase and the £15,000 Paris Pike Novices Chase. The two races attract quality horses at opposite ends of their careers and are therefore particularly popular events for Kelso’s enthusiastic racegoers.
There’ll be a festive theme across the venue, as racegoers gather for a pre-Christmas celebration. Visitors can expect to meet a giant Santa on stilts – with plenty of time to tell him what they’d like for Christmas. A jazz band will greet visitors at the entrance with traditional festive tunes.
The first race is due off at 12.00 noon and the gates will be open from 10.00am.
Treats in Store at Kelso Halloween Meeting
A huge number of entries have been received for Kelso’s Halloween Fixture on Saturday 27th October. Recent rain and autumnal weather has helped racehorse trainers to hone the fitness of the horses in their charge, while the ground at Kelso is officially described as Good.
Grand National hero One For Arthur was a winner on this programme two years ago and the races staged at this October fixture frequently attract horses that go on to win major races later in the season.
Last year’s programme featured the Paul Nicholls trained As De Mee, owned by Dame Judy Dench - a previous winner over Aintree’s Grand National fences. The Lucinda Russell trained Big River won the novice chase on the programme and could be destined for Aintree glory himself – so the races are well worth watching and the winners noting.
This year Lucinda Russell relies upon Arizona Bound in the Clifford & Martin Firth Memorial Novice’s Chase - already a winner over fences who carries the colours of Kelso Lowflyers syndicate, a group of annual members of the racecourse – as well as Chanceiton owned by her father Peter. An interesting raider, and chasing debutante from the south, could be Mahler's First from the Devon yard of Victor Dartnall.
The Ian Anderson Memorial Maiden Hurdle Race divided into two races last season and Rose Dobbin, who landed the second division with Some Reign, bids for more success with Definite Wisdom and The Hollow Chap. Inverurie-based Jackie Stephen is Britain's most northerly trainer and she is double-handed with Captain Kurt and Starozov.
All the top stables are represented in the feature race of the day, the 3-mile EDF Handicap Steeplechase, including Jonjo O'Neill, Nigel Twiston-Davies, Kim Bailey, David Pipe, Donald McCain and Nicky Richards. The highest rated horse on parade is Fergal O'Brien-trained Perfect Candidate, an early casualty in last season's Grand National who has a BHA mark of 152.
Michael Scudamore's Mysteree was the winner of the 2017 Eider Chase at Newcastle while Tom Lacey-trained Thomas Partick was successful in Grade 3 company at Aintree last April.
Civil Unrest and Ailizee De Janeiro, second and third in the Sir Maxwell Harper Gow Handicap Hurdle Race, are among the massive 28 entries for the 2018 renewal. Dual Kelso bumper winner Tokaramore, bred in Berwickshire by Ailie Tullie, puts her unbeaten course record on the line as she samples her first taste of a handicap hurdle.
Nick Alexander has his three-time course winner Benny's Secret entered along with stablemate Jet Master for the Carnacrack Handicap Hurdle at 4.40pm. Irish trainer John McConnell, who saddled a double at Kelso's opening meeting of the autumn, has pencilled in his two-time winning hurdler Roi De Dubai.
Ascot De Bruyere, trained by James Ewart, was the horse that supplied now-retired Brian Harding with his final winner when successful at Kelso in March 2017. He’s an entry in the final race of the day at 5.15pm. Wyfield Rose, owned by borders-based John and Liz Elliot and trained by Dianne Sayer, has already scored this Autumn when making all at Sedgefield early last month.
Irish singer/songwriter, Craig McMorrow, a competitor on The Voice Ireland in 2014, will be providing the post racing entertainment in the Pavilion Marquee followed by a DJ.
The gates open at 12.00 noon and the first race is due off at 1.50pm.
For further information: Jonathan Garratt, Kelso Races, 07771 660114 / Lauren Burns 01573 221221
Border Principals Race Day at Kelso Races – Sunday 7th October
The fifteenth running of the Annual Border Principals Race, at Kelso Racecourse, takes place on Sunday 7th October. The four-furlong dash, staged for the first time in 2004, features fourteen riders (listed below) – each of whom has represented their town this yea
