Kelso Thursday, 4 runners with chances....of a sort

Four runners from our Dodlands Steading yard at Kelso on Thursday afternoon, where the advance going is soft with plenty drizzle still around.

The card opens at 12.48 with a 2m novice hurdle, and our young Sulamani gelding So Many Roads has another crack. He's been dropped back in trip here but we hope he can be pulled along with the field and not get outpaced. Still, this is his 3rd run, and if all goes okay he should qualify for a handicap mark next Tuesday.

Lucinda's Chapel Green pulled clear of the rest of the field when runner up to a Gordon Elliott raider on hurdling debut at Ayr a few weeks ago. This is good form and no doubt he will be expected to improve on that.
McCain's Gametime easily won an Irish Point in April, although the 2nd horse has not impressed in 3 outings over here since. Gametime makes his hurdles debut here. Another hurdling debutant is Coniston Clouds who caught the eye when travelling nicely to finish in second place in his sole bumper. You'd expect Nicky's horse to be there over the last two.

There are several, like our lad, who would seem to be better suited by further and/or more time but this is an interesting novice hurdle to open the card.

Craig Nichol again rides for The Wellfed Boys, who may have to put their lunch time back a bit to watch him today. Finger crossed.

So Many Roads (Craig) racing through a deluge at Carlisle last time

Shoeshine Boy ran like he needed the race last time over c&d. This was his first race of the season and he was caught behind a wall of horses off a slow pace when the race for home began in earnest 3 out. He was slowly progressive last season and we think he can get back to that form today in the 3m 2f handicap hurdle at 1.55pm.

James Moffat's Lady Bowes, a fair staying hurdler who acts well in testing conditions, is seen as the chief threat but George Bewley's hat-trick seeking ex-Irish Hoganville doesn't seem over-burdened by a 4lb increase after winning a similar event at Ayr last month.

This probably represents the yard's best chance of a winner on the day. Henry Brooke comes in for the ride and best of luck to the Mousetrap Racing syndicate.

Shoeshine Boy (Laura) in the foreground

Stolen Money should be better suited by the (near) 3 miles of the trip in the Novices Handicap Chase at 2.58 than the mid distance of his chase debut in which he was outpaced in the last ½ mile. He did make the odd novicey mistake that day but with that also being his first race of the season we do hope he can show some improvement in tacking 4 opponents here.

And he'll no doubt need to as, although just a small field, it has attracted some very promising Scottish/Northern chasers. Usual suspects with Ewart, Nicky, Lucinda and Kinneston Nick all running nice young chasing types. Brayhill is relatively lightly raced Under Rules but was a very experienced Irish Pointer prior. But he is progressing markedly and won over c&d a couple of weeks ago.
Tfou is highly regarded and foiled a gamble on a Stuart Coltherd gelding when winning over 2m 4f at Ayr last month. That was his chase debut and could well come on for that run if not appearing too soon.

There aren't many horses by Prince Flori running in Britain, and this race sees two of them pitied against each other. And not only that but their respective dams are half-sisters. Lucinda's dual chase winner Destiny Is All is the close relative to our own Stolen Money and should be involved in the mix over the final 2 fences.

Having unseated at the first last time, this will effectively be Half Track's chasing debut. He showed fine form on his only attempt at 3 miles on soft ground at Doncaster last February. A clear round would also see him one of the contenders.

Quite a race then. Craig Nichol rides in the stable colours.

Onto the final race on the card, a 3m 2f Conditional Jockeys handicap chase in which Maid Of Houxty faces 4 opponents. This will be just her second outing over fences, having acquitted herself reasonably well on her first at Ayr last month when finishing well in 4th place. That was over 2m 4f but we think the softer underfoot conditions as well as a more staying trip will suit her here.
Laura Morgan's young conditional Lewis Dobb travels up for the one ride and best of luck to him and owner-breeder Bill Aitchison and wife Carol.

In opposition, Lucinda's improving 6-yr-old chaser, the top weight Camp Belan, has the added bonus of a jockey claiming 10lb, while Kinneston Nick's Gypsy Lee Rose is an experienced consistent sort who always runs her race. Loughermore was in fine form in the spring following a wind op and is up 13lb from his mark when winning at Southwell in May.

Maid of Houxty