Captain Redbeard got the better of hot favourite Definitly Red in a match race at Kelso while We Have A Dream got back on the winning trail at the same track.
Captain sinks Definitly Red
Captain Redbeard, sent off at 9/2, upset sole rival and red hot favourite Definitly Red in the £25,000 Malcolm Jefferson Memorial Chase at Kelso on Thursday.
Sam Coltherd kicked for home from the second last and the pair saw off the Cheltenham Gold Cup bound 1/6 chance by two lengths.
Winning Selkirk- based trainer Stuart Coltherd said: “That was the plan and Sam rode him to perfection sitting on the tail of Danny Cook on the favourite. We didn’t want the race to develop into a battle and Captain Redbeard has quite a lot of speed for a staying chaser.
“His jumping is better when they go a decent gallop and I’m delighted with that. We only got the all clear to run due to the equine flu outbreak at tea time last night so it was touch and go.
“His target again is the Grand National and he might be a wee bit well in with 9st 13lb now! He may have one more run before Aintree and, like last year, that could even be over hurdles somewhere.”
Dream battles to comfortable win
Nicky Henderson's We Have A Dream, sent off a 1/4 and for some a live contender for the Champion Hurdle, was an emphatic six length winner of the £30,000 Timeform Morebattle Hurdle.
Winning jockey Daryl Jacob said: “He did that very nicely and we were always in the ideal place. His jumping was pretty good even if he was a little untidy at the last and he felt great. I haven’t spoken to the owners yet regarding Cheltenham so I’m not sure about the Champion Hurdle as they might not want to be too hard on him this season.”
Henderson was completing a short-priced double as the Lambourn trainer took the opening novices’ hurdle with Nico De Boinville-ridden Dream Du Grand Val.
GET THE FULL PICTURE: Don't miss out on FREE video replays and our fantastic My Stable tracker. Log in now and become a Sporting Life Insider.
Related horse racing links
