Weather set fair fa’ for Kelso
● Track in good order after recent snow ● Watch out for Walford’s Uno Valoroso
Kelso is all set for its Burns Pudding Race Meeting today after the thaw arrived bang on time.
Thick snow descended on the track two days after the last fixture on 14 January and blanketed the course for several days. However, Course Managing Director Jonathan Garratt said “The groundstaff were very quick to get the track repaired after racing, so we were content in the knowledge that, if the thaw arrived, the course would be in good order.”
The meeting is new to Kelso and was introduced as an additional contingency against adverse weather during the winter. With the fixture falling on Burns Night, haggis, tatties and a whisky sauce will be served to owners and trainers who declare horses to run on the day.
That’s likely to include Donald Mccain, whose two daughters have both ridden winners at the track. His eldest, Abbie, has been pencilled in for the mount on Craig Star in the first race of the day, The Amateur Jockeys Association Handicap Hurdle.
Milnathort trainer Lucinda Russell has four entries in the race, including Alizee De Janeiro, owned by Deborah Thomson, one of the “Two Golf Widows” responsible for Russell’s Grand National hero One For Arthur.
Many racegoers will be toasting the Ayrshire Bard with a glass of Isle of Skye Scotch Blended Whisky, sponsors of the second race on the programme. Anteros, who ran in Grade 2 company at Cheltenham on New Years Day, could be a rare Kelso runner for Devon-based Sophie Leech.
Keith Dalgleish has entered Niceandeasy as he bids to improve his already impressive strike rate at the Borders venue.
Native Optimist is another with a strong case. The 11-yearold was a wide-margin winner at Hexham in October, but a subsequent flop at Ayr somewhat tempered his supporters enthusiasm at Carlisle last month. Sent off a 33-1 chance, he ran a cracker to be beaten just three lengths in a class two heat. A 3lb rise for that run is clearly not ideal, but he sneaks in here at the bottom of the handicap and his relative light weight should be a help.
Callum Bewley is riding out of his skin at the moment and he has been booked by Galashiels trainer Katie Scott for November course and distance scorer Chain Of Beacons in the Persimmon Homes Handicap Chase. Daryl Jacob, who has a 40 per cent strikerate at the course, is down to ride Uno Valoroso, a course and distance winner for trainer Mark Walford.
The fourth race, the P&G Allan Novices Steeplechase, is the target for Very First Time who carries the famous Trevor Hemmings colours. He already has a rating of 135 after chase wins at Hexham and Newcastle. Meanwhile, Fly Rory Fly changed hands for £25,000 in the autumn and is well regarded by new trainer Nick Alexander.
Selkirk handler Stuart Coltherd will be looking for Budarri to build on his debut, when he finished a 66-1 third at Perth in September, in the Persimmon Homes Novices Hurdle. Rose Dobbin, a regular in the Kelso winners’ enclosure this season, is represented by Le Gavroche, co-owned by French-born restaurateur Albert Roux.
The final race of the afternoon is the Racing UK National Hunt Flat Race.
Drenek, one of five James Ewart entries, was denied a debut run at Ayr recent due to a vaccination irregularity and he is reportedly a nice type owned by former Carlisle racecourse chairman James Westoll.