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.
Martin Todhunter has his eye on the feature race at Kelso with improving young fencer Jet Legs.
The Cumbrian raider, a narrow winner over hurdles at the Borders venue last spring, is set to contest the £15,000 Chairman’s Cup Handicap Chase over nearly three miles.
“He hasn’t done a lot wrong all the time he’s been with us” Todhunter said. “He’s just turned seven and has only had three runs over fences so he has yet to realise his full potential.
“We are stepping him up in grade but he was a Class 2 race he won here over hurdles so he should be competitive enough. He’s gone up a few pounds for winning at Newcastle before Christmas but you’d like to think he should cope with that.”
Red Happy, unbeaten in two runs for his new trainer George Bewley, and Special Rate, already a five-time winner this term, are others with chances in a hot race.
Last year Lucinda Russell landed the Kelso Betting Ring Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle with Thereisnodoubt and she saddles Bois Guillbert.
But Rebecca Menzies-trained The Churchill Lad could be hard to catch after his all-the-way romp at Haydock.
Gretna’s Patrick Wadge is currently setting the pace in the race to become champion conditional pilot and he has a book of tasty rides kicking off in the opener aboard Chumlee for local handler Sandy Forster.
The card also sees the first hunter chase of the season in Scotland.
Likely favourite Super Citizen is the first runner under Rules for Lucinda Hughes, who is the wife of three-time champion jump jockey Brian Hughes.