Forster’s Lissen To The Lady targets fantastic four at Kelso

Locally-trained Lissen To The Lady bids for a fourth course success at Kelso today.

Sandy Forster’s mare, who gained three course and distance wins at the Borders track last season, is again ridden by regular partner Jo Walton as she faces eight rivals in the Aitkenturnbullarchitectshandicap Hurdle.

Forster, a granddaughter of the late Ken Oliver, said: “She’s beentotallyamazingforusand it’salwaysgoodtohaveawinner just down the road. Jo knows her really well and they are a great team but she’s gone up 9lbs for her latest win early last month so it’s a big ask off 102.”

Rivals to Lissen To The Lady include stable companion Dr Shirocco, a winning Irish point to pointer, who only joined Forster late last summer, and Sandy Thomson’s Goodtimes Badtimes, owned by the Chicken Hutch Racers, a syndicate named after the iconic metalroofed bar at Kelso.

Thomson also saddles course and distance scorer Cedar Hill in the £15,000 Bedmax Handicapchaseinwhichdiannesayer’s seven-time Cartmel winner Tonto’sspiritattemptstosecure a rare victory away from his favourite Lake District venue.

Meanwhile, New London is expected to enhance his Derby claims with victory in today’s Boodles Chester Vase.

Having saddled the first two home in the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday in Coroebus and Native Trail, trainer Charlie Appleby's thoughtswillnowturntowards the premier Classic at Epsom.

New London looked a highclass sort when making a successful debut at Newmarket in the autumn and confirmed that impression on his return to action at the Craven meeting.

Taking on another previous winner in Aldous Huxley, New London doubled his tally and looked better the further he went, so this step up to a mile andahalfshouldberightuphis street.alreadysecond-favourite for the Derby with some bookmakers, New London's odds are sure to contract further if he can complete his hat-trick on the Roodee.

Irish raider Above The Curve gets the vote in the Weatherbys Bloodstock Pro Cheshire Oaks.

A big eyecatcher when third on her debut at Leopardstown in October, the daughter of American Pharoah returned to the track to open her account in some style four weeks ago. Joseph O'brien's charge travelled like much the best filly in the race and ultimately won with plenty in hand to earn herself a tilt at an Oaks trial.