By Gordon Brown
VALENCE D’AUMONT, sent off at 6-1, got up in the shadow of the post in a grandstand finish to the feature race at Kelso on Wednesday.
Ridden by Sean Quinlan, he pipped Lake Takapuna by a nose as both swamped long-time leader Cedar Hill close home in the Straw Max Straw Pellet Bedding Handicap Chase.
Winning trainer Sue Smith said: “He is in great form at the moment and won after a break at Sedgefield a fortnight ago. The key to this horse is good ground and he tends to avoid muddy conditions in mid-winter.
“It was a close finish but my husband Harvey was watching on TV at home and he was on the phone straight away to say he had won! We will keep him on the go and it is just a case of finding the right race for him.”
Lesser extended his unbeaten record to four with a fifteen-length success for Richard Phillips in the BoscaSports Racing Digital Display Novces’ Hurdle.
The Gloucestershire raider has now won a point to point, a bumper and two races over hurdles.
Danny Hiskett, who has been on board for the last three wins, said: “This was my first ride at Kelso and we came up last night. We sorted the horse this morning and then I had a good look around the track.
“Lesser is a fairly big horse and he has his own way of jumping but he has plenty of ability. That may be him for the spring now and he will likely come back in the autumn perhaps for another race over hurdles before he goes novice chasing.”
For more information contact Gordon Brown on 07850 258063 for Scottish Racing.