Gordon Brown – Race Reporter
Gordon has a wealth of experience of racing through his background in the written and broadcast media. His current principle role is reporting and supporting the scene in Scotland on Racing TV and relaying the latest news with Scottish angles.
Harry Derham is set for a busy afternoon at Kelso where his six-strong raiding party includes Imagine in the £22,500 feature race.
The ex-Gordon Elliott Grade 2 winner is being aimed at the Racing’s Best Ratings With Timeform Handicap Chase over 2m 5f +133yds.
Upper Lambourn-based Derham, in his third jumps season with a licence, said: “We were always hopeful of having a few runners including Imagine. He was also entered at Ascot on Saturday and the final call was about the ground so we’re heading to Kelso. He ran very well in the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock and actually wasn’t beaten all that far.”
Rivals to Imagine include Prairie Wolf, jointly-trained by Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith. He has been raised 6lbs for an impressive win in the two-mile chase on the Peter Marsh card and is again set to be ridden by Peter Kavanagh.
Derham, who has had one winner winner at Kelso from six previous runners, also runs Givemefive, who won at Cheltenham in the autumn, in the Join Racing TV Now Handicap Hurdle.
But Givemefive faces a stern test from Wise Eagle, trained on the Northumberland coast near Seahouses by former-jump jockey Adam Nicol, who makes his debut in a handicap over timber. He has won two of his three starts over hurdles and is also a very useful performer on the Flat.