Nic Doggett provides an overview of the key things to note on the racing front on Sunday.
Big two clear on Timeform ratings in Peterborough Chase
There has been plenty of excitement this week about the return of Energumene in Sunday’s Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase (2.15) – including Tony McFadden’s article which you can read here – while the exciting pair of Minella Sixo and Only By Night hold more prominent positions in the market than their Willie Mullins-trained rivals in the other graded races (1.05 and 1.40, respectively) on the Cork Card.
But - and it’s not often we can say it - the most interesting Sunday graded race comes in Britain, with Huntingdon’s season highlight, the Trustatrader Peterborough Chase (Grade 2), due off at 1.50.
Each of the five runners holds claims of some sort, but the market is topped by last season’s Ryanair Chase winner Protektorat who looked like he would be better for the run when 17¼ lengths sixth to Il Ridoto in the Paddy Power Gold Cup back there last time.
He might head the betting, but he doesn’t top Timeform weight-adjusted-ratings which are led by fellow Cheltenham Festival runner Ginny’s Destiny who was a gallant second to Grey Dawning in the Turners’ Novices Chase there last March.
He was well-fancied but looked to be carrying condition and shaped as though badly in need of the run when pulled up in the Paddy Power. This race looks a good fit (gets 6 lb from Protektorat) and a much better run is expected. Both horses have weight-adjusted-ratings above the average (173) of winners over the years.
Timeform ‘Horse In Focus’ Djelo was eight lengths behind Ginny’s Destiny in the Turners but shaped very well when a running-on ¾-length second to Jpr One in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter last time. He remains capable of better still as a chaser and is respected.
A less positive flag remains on Minella Drama, who has the ‘Warning Horse’ flag still attached to his profile despite winning the Old Roan Chase at Aintree last time by 1¾ lengths from Hitman, asserting between the last two under a well-judged ride. He has his quirks (can idle/flash tail) but was clearly on top form last time.
Competing the field is the enthusiastic bold-jumping front-runner Nickle Back. He won the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown (by seven lengths from Djelo) last season and though well below form on his final two starts (excuses on first occasion), it would be no surprise at all to see a big performance with connections likely to have targeted this race for some time.
Course specialist v Horse In Focus
As a scan down the list of past winners available on the Timeform racecard shows, local trainer Sandy Thomson has landed two of the last four renewals of the Racing TV "National Hunt" Maiden Hurdle (11.55) and saddles Dedicated Hero in his bid for win number three.
Dedicated Hero, who was placed in both starts in Irish points, showed fairly useful form in bumpers (dual winner here at Kelso), and shaped well when 9¼ lengths third of 10 to Aboutdamntime in a maiden at Carlisle on his hurdling debut.
Though beaten at odds-on that day, there was plenty of promise there, and it's perhaps worth noting that his two defeats have come at the right-handed Carlisle which has a much stiffer finish than Kelso.
Dedicated Hero’s dam is a half-brother to Ellerslie George who, whilst recording one win going right-handed, notched four wins going left-handed, and a return to Kelso for Dedicated Hero could see easily see him break his duck.
The biggest obstacle in Dedicated Hero’s way is likely to be Timeform ‘Horse In Focus’ Lost Frequencies.
Stuart Coltherd’s five-year-old has an unspectacular pedigree (first foal of a dam who was pulled up on her only start in points), but further down the line is from the family of the high-class 2m-3m jumps winner Empire Of Dirt.
Unlike Empire Of Dirt, Lost Frequencies couldn’t win on his hurdling debut but he shaped well when 1¾ lengths second to Kalium in an introductory event at Wetherby, running on late, and looks sure to do better back on softer ground with that experience under his belt.
Later on in the card, Coltherd – who has the Timeform ‘Hot Trainers’ flag at present – has an intriguing runner in the EBF Mares' "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle (12.55). Royal Creek was last seen 839 days ago when winning a Ballinrobe bumper for Edmond Kent, changing hands for £90,000 after that nose success at 40/1.
Clearly things have not gone to plan since, but she’s still only six and looks one to monitor in the morning markets for confidence on this very belated return to action.
Fitting race for Kelso legend
Like Lost Frequencies’ last run, the recent third of Traprain Law caught the eye of the Timeform race reporters and – as well as the ‘Horses For Courses’ flag - Lucinda Russell’s grey also holds the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag for Sunday’s Richard Landale Memorial Handicap Chase (2.40).
A winner at the course last season (as well as at Ayr, a similarly tight mainly flat track), Traprain Law – who has three Kelso wins to his name in total - shaped encouragingly when 6¼ lengths third to Marble Sands in an intermediate chase at Carlisle last time.
Traprain Law jumps and travels with enthusiasm up with the pace – which on Sunday will likely be set by the long-distance-travelling Matata – and he remains with potential over fences.
The race is run in memory of Richard Landale, a driving force in making Kelso a leading jumps course in the north, who died at the age of 80 in July.
He spent 32 years as managing director at the venue and it is very fitting that the race named in his honour is to feature on ITV4 and, as well as the classy Matata who won well at Cheltenham last time, has attracted a strong field including the Olly Murphy-trained Gunsight Ridge.
It would also be apt were the race to be won by a horse trained by Lucinda Russell – a big supporter of the course over the years – and named after a hill in neighbouring East Lothian. Though it’s unlikely you’d be able to see as far as Kelso given the current weather system.
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