14:05 Kelso

Sunday 27 May 2018

All14:0514:4015:1515:5016:2517:0017:35

Border Facilities Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 14:05 | Winning time: 3m 50.02s

Chookie Royale³¹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: Callum Bewley⁽³⁾| T: K Dalgleish

5/1

Prolific winner on the Flat (mainly AW), but made a late start over hurdles in November 2017. Disappointing in the main so far, making mistakes at Perth latest and encounters much quicker ground conditions today.

Form: 379-

Johnny Pedlar²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Alex Chadwick⁽⁷⁾| T: A M Thomson| OR: 96

8/1

Finished third over 2m2f here (beaten 27L) on his penultimate start, and dipped his toe into handicap company at Ayr latest (2m5f+). Back in trip, not fully exposed, but by Revoque looks likely to find the conditions too quick.

Form: 8/553-0

Keepinupwitdjones^t⁹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Finian O'Toole⁽³⁾| T: Mrs S A WattWS

40/1

Maiden who has shown a very limited level of ability over hurdles (2m to 2m3f); never involved when last in action at Sedgefield in February. Races on quick ground for the first time since his bumper days with Arthur Moore. Had wind surgery.

Form: 594990-

Middlebrow^t³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 112

1/1

Winning chaser (2m3f-2m4f), who has progressed since his last hurdles start in September 2017. Not the most obvious of moves to switch back to the smaller obstacles (0/7), but his current mark over fences does look to be just a fraction high.

Form: 41B127-

Placedela Concorde^t⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Dale Irving⁽³⁾| T: M A Barnes

66/1

Poor on the Flat in 2016 for Anthony Carson, and sold for just £800 in September of that year. Pulled up on two of his three starts over hurdles, so to all intents holds precious little chance.

Form: P/9P-

The Hard Shoulder⁷⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Liam Quinlan⁽⁷⁾| T: C GrantWS

20/1

Cloudings gelding who struggled in bumpers, but did okay on hurdles debut at Ayr in March (2m maiden) despite racing a shade too keenly. Worth a cursory check in the market on quicker ground following wind surgery.

Form: 0/967-

Blue Baton¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: Blair Campbell⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

7/2

Well bred daughter of Presenting, and a sister to bumper winner and £100,000 pick Peculiar Places. Progressed markedly from her hurdles debut when chasing home all the way winner Birch Vale (2m good) at Hexham a fortnight ago.

Form: 3547-2

Chouquette^h1³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-1| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

12/1

Should prove capable of winning races, but was booked for a well held fourth on hurdles debut at Perth last month (2m soft), but for a rival falling at the last, and this race rates as another step in her overall learning curve. Hooded.

Form: 563-

Forecasts

Middlebrow (1/1), Blue Baton (7/2), Chookie Royale (5/1), Johnny Pedlar (8/1), Chouquette (12/1), The Hard Shoulder (20/1), Keepinupwitdjones (40/1), Placedela Concorde (66/1)

Middlebrow is a 117-rated winning chaser who represents the newly forged McCain/Hughes partnership. He has undoubtedly improved since making his last start over hurdles in September 2017, but this trip is short enough at a sharp track even allowing for his fairly prominent style of racing. However, the majority of the others aren't particularly alluring either other than the mare BLUE BATON who appears to be progressing at a reasonable pace and was noted finishing well behind Birch Vale on just her second hurdles start at Hexham a fortnight ago.