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.
NICKY RICHARDS is expecting a big run from Famous Bridge in the £20,000 feature race at Kelso on Thursday.
The Greystoke raider, who carries the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings, faces six rrivals in the William Hill Leading Racecourse Bookmaker Handicap Hurdle over 2m 5f.
“He was third in a heavy ground bumper in Ireland and hasn’t done a lot wrong in his three runs over hurdles since coming to us,” Richards said. “He beat a nice Warren Greatrex horse at Ayr and the ground was probably a little bit tacky when he was second at Kelso just after Christmas.”
Famous Bridge is likely to be towards the head of the betting market along with top-weight Elvis Mail, who is a three-time winner at the borders track for Nick Alexander.
The six-race card gets underway with the Racing To Work Handicap Hurdle (Qualifier For The Challenger Stayers Hurdle Series Final) in which Highland Sting, the likely favourite, is a first runner at Kelso for Co Tipperary trainer John Patrick Ryan.
Domandlouis, named after his owners Two Black Labs, represents Lucinda Russell and Derek Fox in the Try Racing TV For Free Now Novices’ Hurdle.
Izzy Williams has her first course ride on Peterborough in the Derrick John Allison Memorial Handicap Chase (Go North One Man Series Qualifer).
The gelding is trained by her father Evan and makes the long journey to Scotland from the Vale Of Glamorgan.