Elvis to be Kelso king

ELVIS MAIL should be ready to deliver again in Kelso’s Book Now For May Ladies Day Handicap Hurdle.

Scotland and Ireland provide Sunday’s jumps action, with two Graded races at Punchestown, but it is Elvis Mail who especially catches the eye north of the border.

Elvis Mail is bidding to get back on the winning trail, after Nick Alexander sent him south into lofty Listed company at Newbury last time - only to bump into Epatante among others.

It was no disgrace to trail in almost 30 lengths behind the new Champion Hurdle favourite at the end of November - and he has also been dropped 2lb for that run.

Following a convincing win in an Ayr handicap to kickstart his campaign, Elvis Mail ought to be able to take care of this field too.

Slanelough may be a tempting price to pull off a first victory in almost two years, in the RacingTV Profits Returned To Racing Handicap Chase.

Last season was a write-off for the majority of Rose Dobbin’s string and it is therefore to Slanelough’s great credit that he ran very well on more than one occasion - despite paying the penalty for jumping errors.

That was the case again when he made an early departure on his reappearance at Wetherby in October, but he has since run well in defeat three times against some very useful opponents.

Slanelough faces some in-form rivals again in this feature handicap, but after being dropped 2lb for his latest Doncaster effort, he rates a danger to all.

In the opening EBF “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle, it is hard to see past Kiltealy Briggs.

Jamie Snowden has chosen this opportunity, under a penalty, for his talented novice to add to his one career success from just four rules starts to date.

Kiltealy Briggs had higher-profile options elsewhere, but Snowden has instead set him a very realistic task here.