13:05 Kelso

Sunday 9 December 2018

All12:0012:3013:0513:3514:1014:4015:15

Persimmon Homes Scottish Borders National Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:05 | Winning time: 8m 34.10s

Calett Mad^t²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D A Jacob| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 140

10/3

Has reverted to chasing this season after spending the 2017/18 campaign over hurdles; debatable whether or not he stays this marathon trip; weakened when finishing 10L fifth to Rock The Kasbah in the Grade 3 Bet Victor Chase (Cheltenham) latest.

Form: 1P1-945

Mysteree^p²²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-5| J: Brendan Powell| T: M Scudamore| OR: 133

22/1

Stayed on strongly when beating Knockanrawley by 4L in the 2017 Eider Chase (4m); game runner-up in the Midlands Grand National a few weeks later but well below-par since; runner-up on both previous visits to Kelso (in novice hurdles).

Form: P12/P3-P

Progress Drive^p²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: B S Hughes| T: N G Richards| OR: 133| BF| C

10/1

Useful hurdler who seemingly lacks a change of gear over fences (stays 3m in heavy ground); well worth trying over a more extreme trip, but fair to acknowledge that others are possibly better treated; 1-1 at Kelso (over hurdles).

Form: 42127-4

Dawson City¹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: James Best| T: P Gundry| OR: 133

20/1

Dour stayer who took the 2018 Devon National (Exeter) by 2L in February (3m6f, soft) and has acquitted himself creditably in stronger races since; caught out by the much discussed Haydock fences on his seasonal reappearance.

Form: P3126-F

Looking Well^p1²²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: R D Day| T: N G Richards| OR: 133| C

8/1

Stablemate of Progress Drive; 2-3 at Kelso previously and would've won the Edinburgh National at Musselburgh (4m1f, soft) in February but for swerving left and unseating his rider at the final fence; competes wearing first time cheekpieces.

Form: 6/7UP-39

Easy Street⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 132

28/1

4-18 over fences and generally most effective on a sound surface (good); placed on a couple of recent starts without looking the most straightforward of horses; stamina to prove definitively (unseated rider in the 3m5f Durham National latest).

Form: 1P722U

Aubusson³⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Chester Williams⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs J Williams| OR: 132

12/1

Talented hurdler once upon a time, runner-up to Thousand Stars in a 3m Grade 1 at Auteuil in November 2015; hasn't quite got his act together over fences despite competing in races such as the Kim Muir and the Cross Country Chase (Cheltenham).

Form: 0-52457

West Of The Edge^b1²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 130| BF

13/2

Stays well in soft ground (3m5f winner at Warwick in March 2017); 5-21 over fences, but his best effort came in defeat to Baywing (beaten 4L) in the Eider Chase in February; 2lb higher wearing first time blinkers; fit from a hurdles spin.

Form: 3722P-4

Dancing Shadow^b²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Conor Shoemark| T: V R A Dartnall| OR: 129

14/1

Has mixed hurdling with chasing since winning the Edinburgh National (4m1f) at Musselburgh in February 2017; handily weighted off a 2lb lower mark and has drying conditions in his favour; low-key comeback run in the 3m1f Badger Ales Trophy.

Form: 10P43-8

Zerachiel^p²⁵³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 123

8/1

11lb higher than when a decisive winner at Haydock (3m5f, soft) in March, but there's no denying that he's stamina laden and open to further improvement after just eight starts over fences; possible player if handling this sharper track.

Form: 1/2P241-

Harry The Viking^p³⁵

Age: 13| Weight: 10-5| J: Rachel McDonald⁽⁵⁾| T: A M Thomson| OR: 119| CD

16/1

Veteran and hugely emotional winner of this race in 2016 (good to soft); steadily sliding back to a more competitive mark and a recent run at Carlisle can't have done him any harm whatsoever; will still probably find a few stronger today.

Form: 9/13P7-7

Ascot De Bruyere^b²¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: Lucy Alexander| T: J Ewart| OR: 119| C

20/1

Former French racer who has been raced sparingly in recent times; all the way winner in truly desperate conditions at Newcastle (3m) in April; 9lb higher at a track where his overall record is 21P (2m5f-2m7f+); stamina unproven.

Form: 241P/1-7

Carrigdhoun^t¹⁰

Age: 13| Weight: 10-3| J: Dale Irving⁽³⁾| T: M A Barnes| OR: 117| C

16/1

Veteran who seemingly isn't the force of old these days (7-39 over fences) but has fallen sharply down the weights accordingly; solid around Kelso - finished 5L second to Harry The Viking in this race in 2016 (now 15lb lower).

Form: 444-636

Total Assets¹⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-2| J: Amie Waugh⁽⁷⁾| T: S Waugh| OR: 116| C| D

7/1

At her very best at this track over hurdles (form figures here since late 2015; 161132) and finally found her groove over fences when hacking up at Hexham (4m, soft) last month; discount at your peril despite the 10lb higher mark.

Form: 2-83061

Bright Prospect^p²²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-1| J: Callum Bewley| T: Mrs J Stephen| OR: 115| C

33/1

3lb higher than when gamely fending off Chidswell here in January (3m, soft); worth a go over further, but the suspicion is that he'll find this much stronger field overly taxing.

Form: 2/215-53

Scotswell⁴⁵

Age: 12| Weight: 10-0| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: Mrs H O Graham| OR: 110| C

66/1

Without a win since April 2017 this admirable front-running veteran of such stamina sapping races (2015 North Yorkshire National winner, 2013 & 2014 Borders National runner-up) sadly appears to be on the decline; NR at Hexham last month (soft).

Form: 1/7P7-58

Forecasts

Calett Mad (10/3), West Of The Edge (13/2), Total Assets (7/1), Looking Well (8/1), Zerachiel (8/1), Progress Drive (10/1), Aubusson (12/1), Dancing Shadow (14/1), Harry The Viking (16/1), Carrigdhoun (16/1), Dawson City (20/1), Ascot De Bruyere (20/1), Mysteree (22/1), Easy Street (28/1), Bright Prospect (33/1), Scotswell (66/1)

An absolutely blinding renewal of the Borders National, with a 16-strong field that will delight both the Kelso executive and their regular hardy racegoers. Progressive types in the line-up include the Haydock winner Zerachiel, the course specialist Total Assets who was re-energised by tackling such a marathon trip at Hexham recently and the selection WEST OF THE EDGE. Others worthy of each-way consideration at more sizeable odds include the dour stayer Dawson City, the seemingly luckless Looking Well and the good ground dependent Dancing Shadow. However, returning from a recent hurdles spin, the vote goes to the gallant 2018 Eider Chase runner-up.