Andrew Asquith has looked at the ITV action at Kelso and Huntingdon on Sunday and has two recommended bets.
Horse racing tips: Sunday December 8
1pt win Jet Legs in the 2.05 Kelso at 10/1 (Ladbrokes, Coral)
1pt win Gunsight Ridge in the 2.40 Kelso at 7/2 (General)
Storm Darragh wreaked havoc on Saturday’s racing and other sporting events and it has the potential to do so with Sunday’s ITV fixtures at Huntingdon and Kelso. The former track has called a precautionary inspection at 7.30am in the morning and, while there are currently no plans for Kelso to do the same, there is the possibility that travelling issues for certain horses will be an issue.
One horse who is of definite interest at Kelso in the Martin Todhunter-trained JET LEGS, who has long since appealed as a horse who will flourish over marathon trips, and he gets that opportunity for the first time in the Scottish Borders National.
He progressed over hurdles once met with a proper test of stamina in 2022/23, winning a handicap at this course over three miles and two furlongs, and he took well to chasing last season, too.
Jet Legs opened his account in this sphere over an extended 23 furlongs at Newcastle in December last year and found only a prolific winner too strong in a heavy-ground handicap back at this venue on his next start. He jumped impeccably when quickly resuming winning ways at Carlise, again handling testing conditions well and appreciating the emphasis it placed on stamina.
He went on to finish placed on his final two starts of last season, including when runner-up to the progressive Cruz Control – who was fancied for the Becher Chase before its abandonment – and doing well to finish third over an inadequate two and a half miles at Carlisle.
Jet Legs made his return in a useful handicap chase back at Carlisle last month and, while he was ultimately well beaten, he left the impression he would strip fitter for the run, given a patient ride and a rare jumping lapse at the seventh fence didn’t help his chance.
He was still close up jumping four out, but his effort flattened out from there and he wasn’t given an overly hard time. The way he progressed through last season suggests he could yet have even more to offer this, still only a seven-year-old, and particularly now getting a stern test of stamina he leaves the impression he’ll relish. This is a competitive handicap, but at around 9/1, there are quite a few upsides to his chance.
There is also a cracking two-mile handicap chase at Kelso where you can make a case for several, but at the prices, I like the claims of GUNSIGHT RIDGE, who makes the long journey north for the Olly Murphy team (his sole runner on the card).
He has won in each of his three seasons over fences, and the brunt of his form stacks up well. He looked good when winning at Perth last season fitted with first-time cheekpieces, well in command in the closing stages, and he looked the likeliest winner prior to departing at the second-last on his return in a race won by the reopposing Matata at Cheltenham three weeks ago.
That was his first start since undergoing a breathing operation and he ran a strange race in truth, starting off racing quite prominently, but losing his position around halfway and appeared to be labouring.
However, he got a second wind and really found his momentum again in the last quarter of the race, building up a good head of steam and only around two lengths down of the front-running Matata prior to his departure. He looked the likeliest winner at the stage for me, along with plenty others given he traded as low as 1.17 in-running on Betfair.
I’m a little surprised he isn’t closer in the betting to Matata with that in mind as he meets that rival on the same terms. Hopefully, that fall hasn’t left a mark, as he’s a likeable type who remains on a competitive mark, and represents a trainer with a good strike rate at Kelso (22% over the last five seasons) who continues in top form.
Only five runners are set to go to post for the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon but it still looks an up-to-scratch renewal, with Ginny’s Destiny, Protektorat and Djelo all having plenty to recommend them, while I’m also a fan of the talented, bold-jumping front-runner Nickle Back, too. I’d expect Ginny’s Destiny to quickly dispel his poor reappearance run, but the market also agrees and, though he’s the likeliest winner for me, at 7/4 he isn’t a bet.
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