Kelso Saturday with Nights In Venice

Kelso 28th October : 5.04 pm 2m 4f (0-110) Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

With an advance going description of soft, with overnight rain most likely, conditions could be testing at our local track on Saturday. Some cracking races earlier on in the card with the best chasers in Scotland in Corach Rambler, Elvis Mail & Empire Steel competing at 1.29.

Nights In Venice runs in the last race on the card, so stick around for that. Three NH runners from Dodlands so far this season -  they've been running well with varying results (see below). If pushed we'd admit though that Nights In Venice looks like he may need the run.
Anyway Luke Scott is one of the more experienced conditionals and has been booked to ride.
Having hit the front only to be headed near the line in his final couple of runs last season, there'll be a change in tactics today and our gelding will be dropped in.
"Hold on to him until the last possible moment, count to 10 then make your move"........

In a race packed with Scottish trained horses (we'll give Rose an honorary membership), Lucinda's likely improver Jem In Em could prove the one to provide the main challenge to Nights In Venice.

Best of luck to all connections and to young Luke too.

Nights In Venice (Laura)

Carlisle Thursday review

So Many Roads finished 6th in his first race since February at Carlisle on Thursday, a 19 runner 2½ mile handicap hurdle in which he was beaten just over 7 lengths. We could write a book on the race (now, please don't tempt our web team - ed).

So Many Roads is a horse with so much potential as a chaser but he suffered a hefty fall when last seen in February at Ayr. He took a good few weeks to recover from that but after a vet examination, he was in full training in late Spring although the intention was never to run him.
So, we knew we could kick on in a fairly confident manner this season and so it proved in the lead up to this race.
However, there was still the matter of restoring his jumping confidence under racing conditions, surrounded by runners vying for best position.

Craig (Nichol) and Callum had discussed tactics at length in the days prior. To ask So Many Roads to 'get racing' early was deemed too risky as making mistakes or falling would waste a run and we'd be back to square one. So, getting settled off the pace with daylight in front was the plan.

He looked fit and very well in the paddock, pre-race.
But with the softened ground making middle to outer the favoured ground, Craig was faced by a wall of horses turning away from the stands going out for the final circuit and was pushed so wide that he almost clattered a post on the outside of the course.
Switching inside, So Many Roads was back on the bridle but the same crowd problem was encountered turning for home 3 out.
The leading group were just tantalisingly out of reach but So Many Roads jumped the final set of hurdles neatly enough and stayed on nicely into 6th place after the last.

And that's the abridged version!

The really good news is that So Many Roads ate up on return to Dodlands in the evening and devoured his breakfast next day - this is not usual for our lad but probably a reflection on his maturity and strength this season. He trotted up sound too.

Craig was quick to point towards 3 miles upon unsaddling and the gelding will be schooled over fences too before his next run.

So Many Roads (Callum) on the left