15:15 Kelso

Sunday 9 December 2018

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

Biggest Ever Jumps Season On Racing UK Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:22 | Winning time: 5m 37.50s

Scales Of Justice^p1⁶³

Age: 4| Weight: 12-0| J: Blair Campbell⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 106

17/2

Showed improved form when beaten 9L by Aye Right on his third hurdles start (2m5f, good) in October; sports newly applied cheekpieces on handicap debut.

Form: 862

Triangle Rock^t¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 104| BF

5/2

Beaten 6L by Diggin Deep on debut for Keith Dalgleish at Musselburgh (3m, good) 13-days ago; further progress is possible but a subsequent 2lb rise in the weights is unmerited.

Form: 058452

Silk Or Scarlet²²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Lucy Alexander| T: N W Alexander| OR: 102

10/1

Upped in trip to 2m4f at Perth in April (soft) and in gamely chasing home Mill Forge produced his best effort so far; 3lb higher on seasonal reappearance.

Form: 3/64862-

Budarri¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Sam Coltherd⁽⁵⁾| T: W Coltherd| OR: 100

14/1

11-race hurdles maiden who has made the frame in each of his last two starts (hurdles and fences); his Sedgefield form has been franked since by Millie The Minx.

Form: 4-22733

St George's Oval¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Aaron Anderson⁽⁷⁾| T: L Egerton| OR: 100

20/1

Dropping slowly in the weights since leaving the care of Daniel Mark Loughnane; remains a maiden (0-10).

Form: 5-24005

Katalystic⁵⁷⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 100

16/1

Off the track for 570-days since finishing a staying on fourth (beaten 7¾L) to Onlyfoolsownhorses at Perth (2m4f) in May 2017; remains a maiden (0-8), but isn't fully exposed in handicap company.

Form: 83747/4-

Luvly Boy Blue^t³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr R Wilson⁽⁷⁾| T: S Corbett| OR: 97

66/1

Has failed to show up positively since a mildly encouraging debut in desperate conditions at Newcastle (2m4f, heavy) in April; opening handicap mark of 97 looks to be plenty high enough on balance.

Form: 3-98

Humps And Bumps²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: D A Jacob| T: P Croke| OR: 91

14/1

Maiden under rules (0-8), but overcome plenty of obstacles en-route to making a winning PTP debut at Turtulla (3m mares' maiden, good) last month; feared back over hurdles with Daryl Jacob a notable booking.

Form: 00F061

Cudgel¹⁷⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: J Walton| OR: 88

66/1

Has started at big prices and shown poor form in three starts in novice company at Hexham during May and June; off since, this half-brother to PTP winner Ripstick goes handicapping off an opening mark of 88.

Form: 907

Border Victor^p⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: F P Murtagh| OR: 87

9/2

16-race maiden; generally ultra-consistent, so should be in the mix over this slightly reduced trip after reasonably solid efforts at Hexham and Doncaster - beaten just 2½L latest.

Form: 322-P52

Chocolat Noir⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Danny Cook| T: M Todhunter| OR: 87

8/1

21-race maiden (0-12 over hurdles); no obvious issues with ground or trip, but didn't appear to be the most genuine of mares in defeat at Haydock during the week; unlikely.

Form: 23F604

Heather Burning²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: Craig Nichol| T: R Dobbin| OR: 87

12/1

Shown glimmers of ability, most notably on debut in a Newcastle bumper in December 2016; possible that this extended 2m6f trip is within range and could be viewed as unexposed in handicaps; possible improver; chance.

Form: 5/9906-6

K O Kenny^p²⁵⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: W T Kennedy| T: A Crook| OR: 83

25/1

Still to deliver the knockout blow to his rivals (0-11); pulled-up when last seen in competitive action at Wetherby in March (3m, soft).

Form: 65/902P-

Excalibur¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 80

66/1

Former Polish Flat racer who has done anything but excel over obstacles so far; couldn't realistically be considered in any shape or form.

Form: 597-06

Forecasts

Triangle Rock (5/2), Border Victor (9/2), Chocolat Noir (8/1), Scales Of Justice (17/2), Silk Or Scarlet (10/1), Heather Burning (12/1), Humps And Bumps (14/1), Budarri (14/1), Katalystic (16/1), St George's Oval (20/1), K O Kenny (25/1), Excalibur (66/1), Cudgel (66/1), Luvly Boy Blue (66/1)

Plenty of runners, but a distinct lack of quality on offer. Triangle Rock hasn't been with Keith Dalgleish for all that long and could be the type to progress for a new handler, but he probably didn't merit a small rise in the weights for his second placed effort at Musselburgh. Border Victor remains a longstanding maiden, but in fair form at present has a shout, whilst both Katalystic and Humps and Bumps are worth monitoring in the market exchanges. However, a real speculative shout is for the Rose Dobbin-trained HEATHER BURNING. Evidently some ability lies within, and the hope is that this new trip (dam related to a stayer) can unlock that potential.