Hamilton hopes Betty Baloo can pocket big prize at Kelso

Jamie Hamilton is expecting a decent performance from Betty Baloo in the feature event on another valuable fixture at Kelso today. Racing Post Go North Raceday card boasts £201,000 in prize money and his partner lines up in the £50,000 Herring Queen Series Final Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

Trained in Malton by Tim Easterby, Betty Baloo won a series qualifier at Catterick earlier this month and Hamilton said: “She dropped back in trip and won well last time.

It looks a competitive race but she will like the ground and should hopefully run a nice race.”

With a BHA mark of 129, Nicky Henderson-trained Theatre Glory is the top weight and she won convincingly at Warwick last month having qualified for the final with victory at Huntingdon in November.

Ewan Whillans’ home-bred mare Bella Bluesky ventures into handicap company for the first time after last month’s ready victory in a course and distance novice hurdle at the Borders venue.

The Go North Series Finals got under way at Musselburgh yesterday when Inca Prince was an impressive all-thethe way winner of the Grey Bomber Handicap Hurdle under Hawick-born Hamilton.

Trainer Ruth Jefferson said: “He could go to Aintree next and then maybe have a run or two on the Flat. He’s very keen and pulls my arms out every morning!”

There was plenty of Scottish success with Well Planted springing a 25-1 opening race upset for Mike Smith, Sandy Thomson-trained Goodtimes Badtimes taking the Brindisi Breeze Series Final and James Ewart’s Hold Onto The Line landing the novices’ handicap hurdle.

Meanwhile, William Haggas is looking to claim a record fifth win in the SBK Lincoln at Doncaster today - and there may be some mileage in siding with his apparent secondstring Ametist.

Haggas’ ante-post favourite Mujtaba is unbeaten in three career starts but Ametist is much more battle-hardened. The five-year-old was third in thecambridgeshirelastseason. That proves he stays further, never a bad thing in a Lincoln .