13:40 Kelso

Monday 17 April 2023

All13:4014:1514:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:40

David Brownlee 50 Years At Kelso Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:40 | Winning time: 4m 23.56s

Ballyporeen²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 113

9/4

Immediate improvement for new trainer Donald McCain when easily winning a 2½m Musselburgh novice handicap last month. Bold show likely if showing up in similar form.

Form: 253451

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Chase A Fortune³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Quinlan| T: C Grant| OR: 114| BF

10/3

Consistent sort who made the most of a good opportunity to get off the mark in 9-runner maiden at Catterick (2m, good) in February. Found life tougher under a penalty when 19 lengths second at Sedgefield since. Good place chance but probably vulnerable for the win again.

Form: 223212

Diamant Sur Canape^h1⁹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Henry Brooke| T: Ewan Whillans| OR: 67

250/1

Well held in bumper and little to shout about in 4 starts in this sphere. First run for new yard after leaving Mark Walford. Wears a hood for the first time.

Form: 9-9P9P

Jimmy Chou Pecos Aa^t⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Ben Harvey⁽⁵⁾| T: J C McConnell| BF

5/6

Promising second in maiden hurdles at Down Royal and Navan this winter. The one to beat for an Irish stable with a 2-4 record here.

Form: 25-22

Kopa Kilana^t1¹⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Conor Rabbitt⁽⁷⁾| T: M A Barnes

66/1

Bumper winner for Rebecca Menzies but beaten a long way over hurdles on next 2 starts and only modest form on the Flat since. Has a first-time tongue tie added now starting out for a new stable after 140 days off.

Form: 148-

Lucky Soldier⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: C O'Farrell| T: N W Alexander

22/1

Promising second on Ayr bumper debut in October but below that level in 2 outings at the same venue since. Still early days and makes hurdle debut now.

Form: 246

Midnight Fiddler⁷⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Edward Austin⁽⁵⁾| T: H Graham & G Rutherford

250/1

No show in novice hurdles 11 months apart. Outsider.

Form: 6-P

Monklaw³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Sam Coltherd| T: W Coltherd

100/1

Fell both starts in points. 50/1 did travel well for a long way on his Hexham hurdle debut but folded tamely to finish 10th of 13.

Form: FF0

Special Rate^t¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Thomas Dowson| T: P A Kirby

25/1

Showed ability in bumpers (trained in Ireland first 2 starts) without achieving enough to suggest he's likely to make a major impact on hurdle debut.

Form: 35-476

Beauty To Behold^h1⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Alan Doyle⁽⁵⁾| T: P Neville

80/1

Winning Irish pointer but beaten a long way in 2 hurdles at Catterick (25f then 2m) in February. Has a hood on for the first time now.

Form: P138

Glen Ali³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: Craig Nichol| T: I Jardine

200/1

Pulled up both starts between the flags and no show in maiden/novice hurdles this year, refusing to race on last month's stable debut when fitted with blinkers (left off now).

Form: PP-0PR

Not In Kansas^t⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Bruce Lynn⁽³⁾| T: N W Alexander

80/1

Seemed to be in the process of showing improved form when falling 4 out in maiden hurdle at Ayr (19.5f) 7 weeks ago, but quite what she'd have done off the bridle is open to debate given she'd again been keen.

Form: 66PF

Monty Nevett⁹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Emma Smith-Chaston⁽³⁾| T: Jedd O'Keeffe

66/1

Modest form at best in bumpers ahead of this switch to hurdles.

Form: 068

Flash Bulb⁴⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-4| J: S Mulqueen| T: K ScottWS

150/1

Fair maiden on Flat but tailed off on Ayr hurdle debut in February. Has had wind surgery since then.

Form: 0

Forecasts

Jimmy Chou Pecos Aa (5/6), Ballyporeen (9/4), Chase A Fortune (10/3), Lucky Soldier (22/1), Special Rate (25/1), Kopa Kilana (66/1), Monty Nevett (66/1), Beauty To Behold (80/1), Not In Kansas (80/1), Monklaw (100/1), Flash Bulb (150/1), Glen Ali (200/1), Diamant Sur Canape (250/1), Midnight Fiddler (250/1)

JIMMY CHOU PECOS AA has shaped well when runner-up in a couple of maiden hurdles in Ireland and is taken to make the most of the weight he receives from Musselburgh winner Ballyporeen. Chase A Fortune is clear third pick in a race where it's hard to make a case for many.