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.
Local trainer Lucinda Russell has her eye on the £25,000 feature race at Perth on Wednesday with Derek Fox-partnered Iris Oirr.
Not seen out since he fell mid-race when a leading fancy for the Scottish Grand National in April, he faces four rivals in the Paul Ferguson’s Jumpers To Follow David Whitaker Handicap Chase over three miles.
“He gave us one of our highlights of last season when winning the Edinburgh National by 21-lengths and it was also Derek’s comeback ride from shoulder surgery,” Russell said. “He retains untapped potential as a long-distance chaser and will be targeted at some of the big staying handicaps.”
The opposition to Iris Oirr include last year’s 14-length winner Wasdell Dundalk, trained in Cumbria by Lisa Harrison, and Sam England’s hat-trick seeking top-weight Kinondo Kwetu, who is ridden by her husband Jonathan.
The card gets underway with Sean Bowen getting the leg up for the first of his six rides on Deploy To Spy in the Racing TV Profits Returned To Racing Novices’ Hurdle.
Welsh-born Bowen holds a narrow lead over Harry Skelton in the current jump jockeys’ championship. Last season when injury denied him a first title, Perth supplied him with 17 winners, more than he rode at any other British jumps venue.
Due to the number of declarations, the Every Race Live On Racing TV Handicap Hurdle has been divided and Nigel Twiston-Davies, who won last year’s race with Awesome Foursome is represented by top-weight Superbolt in the first division.