Borders Bonanza Delivers the Goods
What a cracking afternoon we had at Kelso on Friday! The Scottish Borders venue served up exactly the sort of competitive National Hunt fare that makes this game so addictive. Six races, proper jumping tests, and enough talking horses to keep the notebook busy well into the evening.
The good to soft, soft in places going played right into the hands of the staying types, and with military-themed contests dominating the card, there was a real sense of occasion about proceedings. This wasn't just your run-of-the-mill Friday afternoon - this was proper racing.
Mares Take the Spotlight
The feature event, the HMS Daring Royal Navy T45 Destroyer Mares' Handicap Chase, was always going to be the race that set pulses racing. Part of the Challenger Mares' Chase Series, this £10,000 prize drew a quality field that had form students reaching for their calculators.
Molto Bene arrived with Lilly Pinchin in the saddle and a rating of 122 that suggested she was the one they all had to beat. The daughter of Mahler has been knocking on the door in better company, and this looked tailor-made for her style of racing.
But don't sleep on Demoiselle Kap and Theonewedreamof. Both rated 117, they brought serious credentials to the party. I.J. Power's booking on Demoiselle Kap caught the eye - he doesn't travel north without good reason. Meanwhile, Harry Skelton on Theonewedreamof? That's a combination that's been clicking all season.
Novice Chasers Show Their Class
The opener, the Betting and Gaming Council Novices' Limited Handicap Chase, might have been a small field but what it lacked in numbers, it made up for in quality. Followcato topped the ratings at 127 with Kielan Woods doing the steering - a partnership that's been building momentum.
Harry Skelton's double-handed approach with Major Fortune (rated 122) showed the Henderson team's confidence in their charge. At this level, every pound of rating matters, and Major Fortune looked ready to bridge that gap.
Taita Hills was the interesting outsider. Rated 115, Freddie Mitchell's mount had the look of a horse who could outrun his mark if the jumping clicked. These are the types that make Friday afternoons profitable!
Ones to Follow
Several horses caught the eye for future reference, and savvy punters would do well to keep these names in their tracker:
River Run Free in the Coldstream Guards Association Handicap looked potentially well-treated on 90. The 'C,D' markings tell their own story - cheekpieces and a visor suggest connections are pulling out all the stops. Rian Corcoran's 7lb claim could be crucial in a tight handicap.
From the Royal Anglian Regiment Handicap, Flemenstide shaped like a horse going places. Charlie Deutsch's booking suggested confidence from the Paul Nicholls yard, and at this level, that usually means business.
In the shorter contests, Falco des Pins looked the type to follow up quickly. Charlie Deutsch again in the saddle, rated 96 but potentially capable of better. These French imports often take time to acclimatise, but when they click...
Hunter Chase Adds Spice
The evening's finale, the Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry Open Hunters' Chase, provided that unique flavor only point-to-point graduates can deliver. Densworth with Miss Natasha Cookson looked the class act on ratings (131), but hunter chases have a habit of throwing up surprises.
A Jet of Our Own and Mr Milo Herbert represented the amateur spirit perfectly. These partnerships often gel in ways that defy the form book, and at 122, he wasn't without a chance.
Looking Ahead
Friday's Kelso racecard threw up several horses worth following through the spring. The Challenger Mares' Chase Series continues to gather momentum, and whoever prevailed in the feature will have earned their stripes for bigger targets ahead.
The novice chasers from the opener look destined for graded company before the season's out. These are exactly the sort of races that produce future festival contenders, and the form should work out well.
Keep an eye on the military-themed contests too - they often attract horses being prepared for specific spring targets. The connections clearly had Friday marked in their calendars, which usually means they'll have follow-up plans already in motion.
All in all, Kelso delivered exactly what we hoped for - competitive racing, talking horses, and enough pointers for future profit. Roll on the next time they race in the Borders!
