Soft Ground Specialists Set for Kelso Feast
Right then, racing fans, we're heading north to the Scottish Borders where Kelso serves up a proper Friday feast of National Hunt action. The going is officially soft, which means we can bin any thoughts of speed merchants and start thinking about the genuine stayers who'll relish getting their toes stuck into this testing surface.
Six races on the card today, and while none of them will set the world alight in terms of quality, there's plenty of value to be had if you know where to look. The feature race is that Novices' Limited Handicap Chase at 2:30, worth £14k to the winner, though with just three runners it's hardly going to be a betting bonanza.
The soft ground changes everything here, lads. This isn't the time for your flashy types who like to ping their fences and gallop. No, today belongs to the mudlarks, the battlers, and those with proper stamina pedigrees who'll keep finding when others cry enough.
Feature Race: Followcato Faces Skelton Challenge
Let's start with the main event at 14:30, where Followcato heads the market for Ben Pauling with Kielan Woods in the saddle. Now, I've seen this seven-year-old in action before, and on his day he's a proper horse. Rated 127, he's got the class edge over his two rivals, and Pauling knows how to get one ready for a day like this.
But don't go backing him blind, because Harry Skelton rocks up on Major Fortune for the in-form Skelton stable. This eight-year-old is 5lb lower in the ratings at 122, but he's got the course and distance experience that could prove crucial on this testing ground. When the Skeltons send one north to Kelso, you sit up and take notice.
Taita Hills completes the trio for the Moore team with Freddie Mitchell aboard, but at 115 he looks to be making up the numbers. Still, in a three-runner race, stranger things have happened.
Mares' Chase Provides Best Betting Heat
The 4:00 Mares' Handicap Chase is where the real punting opportunities lie today. Molto Bene tops the weights on 122 for Charlie Longsdon, and she's a course and distance winner which counts for plenty on a track like Kelso. Lilly Pinchin takes the ride, and this mare has the class to make a bold show.
But I'm drawn to Demoiselle Kap at 117 for Jennie Candlish. This eight-year-old has been knocking on the door in better company, and dropping into this grade could be the key. I.J. Power knows his way around these northern tracks, and at the prices, she could be the value play.
Theonewedreamof represents the Skelton yard again, and you can never write off anything from that stable. At 117, she's got every chance if handling the conditions, while Gazette Bourgeoise for Ben Case could sneak into the frame at bigger odds.
Stamina Tests Throughout the Card
The 3:00 Coldstream Guards Association Chase over 2m4f looks a proper slog in these conditions. Begin The Luck has been thereabouts in similar company, and Robbie David will know exactly what's needed. But I fancy River Run Free for David Pipe might have more improvement in him. Rian Corcoran is a shrewd booking, and this seven-year-old has the profile of one who could step up in a race like this.
The shorter races at the end of the card shouldn't be ignored either. Falco des Pins in the 4:30 represents the all-conquering Venetia Williams stable, and anything from Jackdaws Castle deserves respect. At just six years old, he's potentially still improving, and the drop back to 1m7f might just suit.
In the closing Hunters' Chase, Densworth looks to have too much class for this field. Rated 131, Miss Natasha Cookson's mount should have enough in hand to see off the opposition, though A Jet of Our Own could make him work for it.
The Verdict: Value in the Mud
Today's Kelso racecard is all about finding horses who'll handle the testing conditions and stay the trip when others start to struggle. The soft ground will separate the wheat from the chaff, and those with proper stamina pedigrees will come to the fore.
Best Bets:
- Demoiselle Kap (4:00) - Each-way value in competitive mares' chase
- River Run Free (3:00) - Improving type for in-form Pipe stable
- Falco des Pins (4:30) - Williams runner dropping in trip
Ones to Watch:
- Major Fortune in the feature - Skelton runners always dangerous
- Molto Bene - Course winner with proven stamina
- Densworth - Class should tell in the Hunters'
Remember, on ground like this, it's not always the fancied runner who comes home first. Sometimes it's the battler who keeps finding when others have had enough. That's the beauty of jumps racing on a day like today - anyone can win if they stay the trip and handle the conditions. Sláinte to that, and may your selections stay on their feet!
