15:20 Kelso

Wednesday 8 May 2019

All14:1014:4515:2015:5516:2516:5517:30

Villa Sandi Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:21 | Winning time: 5m 37.9s

Benny's Secret^h³⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Grant Cockburn⁽³⁾| T: N W Alexander| OR: 112| CD

9/2

Thrives at Kelso (four-time winner here); backed up an admirable ½L second to Ask Paddington (2m5f) on his penultimate start with a gritty neck C&D win latest; 7lb higher, yet still rates as a key player.

Form: 352321-

Viking Hoard^p⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: K J Brouder⁽⁵⁾| T: C Byrnes| OR: 112

14/1

Bolted up when scoring by 15L at Killarney (2m4f, good) in July 2018; has failed to replicate that form since (0-5); low-key at Wetherby latest, but should benefit for that run over a less suitable trip (2m); easing in the weights; chance.

Form: 1P4P05-

Aengus^b1⁵³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 110

16/1

Has failed to deliver the goods over fences (pulled up on four of his last five starts); reverts to hurdling off a theoretically competitive looking handicap mark, albeit it's difficult to exude confidence with new headgear applied.

Form: 6/PP7PP-

Melody Of Scotland^p1⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: R P McLernon| T: B Haslam| OR: 108

12/1

Soft ground hurdles winner in France for Guillame Macaire (May 2017) and did okay initially when switched to Alan King; poor so far for Ben Haslam (0-5) despite plummeting in the weights; cheekpieces applied.

Form: 07773P-

Sunny Destination^p³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 108| C

9/1

2m5f course winner on his penultimate start (with cheekpieces introduced); put soundly in his place by today's rival Benny's Secret over C&D more latterly; difficult to envisage an 8lb turnaround in the weights being anywhere near enough.

Form: 238P13-

Buckled⁶⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Rachel McDonald⁽⁵⁾| T: A M Thomson| OR: 108| CD

14/1

C&D winner in October 2017 (good), but generally strongest around Musselburgh; given a short break since finishing runner up to all the way scorer Always Lion at that East Lothian venue (3m, good) latest.

Form: 9533P2-

Emerald Chieftan^t⁴⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: Harry Skelton| T: R Menzies| OR: 106| BF

8/1

Made all when scoring from a 6lb lower mark over 2m5f at Sedgefield (good to soft) in January; finished lame behind when below-par over fences at Market Rasen (2m5½f) 49 days ago; switch back to hurdling the sensible route.

Form: 547136-

Canny Style^t⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss J E Foster| OR: 105

50/1

Over hurdles has appeared to be strongest at 2m on a sound surface (has won with cut on the Flat); competes off the same mark as when winning on stable debut (in first-time tongue strap) at Sedgefield in November 2018.

Form: 514F86-

Pixiepot³⁴¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: Henry Brooke| T: P D Niven| OR: 103| BF

33/1

Broke her duck over hurdles when justifying favouritism to beat Our Valentina by 5L at Carlisle (2m1f, good to soft) in March 2018; placed off this mark at Market Rasen (2m2½f) next time; off since (341-days); stamina?

Form: 72321/3-

Sigurd^p,t²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: B S Hughes| T: Miss J E Foster| OR: 103

4/1

Inconsistent, but a slide in the weights has seen him become more competitive in recent starts (runner up over an extended 2m3f at Wetherby in February); wind surgery has also clearly aided; place possibilities with Brian Hughes booked to ride.

Form: F68235-

Border Victor^p²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: F P Murtagh| OR: 99| CD

11/2

2018/19 was his breakthrough season; he's proved to be ultra-consistent since scoring by a nose over C&D in December 2018; 4lb above his last winning mark (Wetherby); others better treated and preferred.

Form: 125219-

Farlam King^t³²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: D B Hurst⁽¹⁰⁾| T: M A Barnes| OR: 74

11/1

Nine-race maiden; in a different parish to the decisive 17L winner Quiet Penny in a porous conditionals contest at Newcastle (3m) last month; unconsidered competing from outside of the handicap proper.

Form: 886402-

Forecasts

Sigurd (4/1), Benny's Secret (9/2), Border Victor (11/2), Emerald Chieftan (8/1), Sunny Destination (9/1), Farlam King (11/1), Melody Of Scotland (12/1), Buckled (14/1), Viking Hoard (14/1), Aengus (16/1), Pixiepot (33/1), Canny Style (50/1)

Benny's Secret thrives at Kelso, with all four of his previous wins over hurdles coming at this Borders track. Pulling well clear of the remainder, including today's rival Sunny Destination, he edged out Uptown Harry by a neck over C&D latest. A subsequent 7lb rise in the weights looks fair, and he's impossible to keep out of the frame. However, we'll seek an each-way alternative with the potentially well-treated Irish raider VIKING HOARD who should strip fitter for a recent run over an inadequate two-miles at Wetherby.