16:45 Kelso

Wednesday 19 September 2018

All16:1016:4517:1517:4518:1518:45

Tweed Salmon Fishers Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:45 | Winning time: 5m 23.4s

Oighear Dubh^t²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: R Johnson| T: E M O'Sullivan| OR: 112| BF

11/4

17lb higher than when winning a Tipperary handicap chase (2m4f, good) in July. Reasonably consistent, though took a backward step last time. Top pilot booked, but a fair bit more needed from this mark.

Form: 253133

Loch Linnhe⁵²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Ross Chapman⁽³⁾| T: G Boanas| OR: 111

11/2

Won both a hurdle and a chase for Mark Walford. Bought for £6,000 last month and now makes debut for this trainer. On a competitive mark if the change of scenery has done him good, so a market check looks prudent.

Form: P-1P3P3

Ever So Much^p¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: R P McLernon| T: B Haslam| OR: 110

8/1

Multiple chase winner whose last two successes came back-to-back at Hexham (2m4f, good) in the summer. Now 12lb higher than the latest of those and will need to pull out more improvement to record an 11th career success.

Form: 1-41172

Trongate³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: I Jardine| OR: 110| BF

11/8

1-13 over hurdles, but looked as though he can do better over fences when 2½L second on his debut at Perth (2m4f, good) last month. Up 5lb for that, but looks interesting if as good on fast ground.

Form: 338-432

Present Lodger^t¹¹⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-11| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 109

10/1

Not many miles on the clock for his age, but without a win since 2015. Returned from a 15-month absence to be beaten 28L at Cartmel in May and not seen again since. Plenty to prove.

Form: 2444P/6

No Such Number^t⁴⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Dale Irving⁽³⁾| T: M A Barnes| OR: 105

40/1

Won at Uttoxeter last year from 4lb higher and was beaten just ¾L from 6lb higher at Market Rasen in May. However, recent efforts leave plenty to be desired.

Form: P25P6P

Brother Scott⁸²

Age: 11| Weight: 10-4| J: Sean Quinlan| T: B Butterworth| OR: 88WS

16/1

Best form has come on good ground. Arrives for his first run after a wind op. Trip no problem, but has to put recent efforts well behind him to win again.

Form: 628-806

Non-Runners

Classical Milano³²

Weight: 11-11| Age: 7

T: G Bewley J: Jonathon Bewley

Charlie Snow Angel⁸⁸

Weight: 11-1| Age: 9

T: Miss S E Forster J: Jamie Hamilton

Forecasts

Trongate (11/8), Oighear Dubh (11/4), Loch Linnhe (11/2), Ever So Much (8/1), Present Lodger (10/1), Classical Milano (10/1), Charlie Snow Angel (12/1), Brother Scott (16/1), No Such Number (40/1)

Oighear Dubh looks to have met with the full weight of the handicapper's wrath going into this, but with Richard Johnson up, perhaps he may be capable of pulling out the necessary to win again. However, TRONGATE makes greater appeal. Iain Jardine's six-year-old made a good debut over fences last month and it is worth chancing him to handle this faster ground. Loch Linnhe is on a decent mark if he is rejuvenated for a change of stables, while Classical Milano is not written off.