12:20 Kelso

Sunday 7 December 2025

All11:5012:2012:5513:3014:0014:3715:15

Belhaven Black Classic Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:21 | Winning time: 5m 51.82s

Malicash²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 118| C

6/1

Won maiden/novice hurdles in the spring, latterly over 21f here. Remote second on 19.5f Bangor handicap debut/reappearance but could be sharper for the outing and this is a drop in grade. Player under Brian Hughes.

Form: 54112-2

Gaillimh A Stor^p,t²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Bruce Lynn| T: N W Alexander| OR: 116

28/1

It's now 13 runs since his last win in 2022 and he'll need to leave last month's course reappearance well behind to play a prominent role.

Form: 22P8P-9

Authorized Mission²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Danny McMenamin| T: N G Richards| OR: 114| C

1/1

Much improved when bolting up in a 21f course handicap on his return for new yard 4 weeks ago. The handicapper hasn't missed him with a 14 lb rise but there could be more to come for this stable.

Form: 27159-1

Disco Davis^t1²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Tristan Durrell⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 114

9/1

Seemed to relish a return to front-running when getting off the mark in 2m Lingfield maiden (soft) in January. Shaped encouragingly when fourth in Uttoxeter handicap on reappearance but pulled up on very deep ground at Bangor since. Has a tongue tie added on the back of that.

Form: 5126-4P

Fox's Fancy²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: D R Fox| T: L Russell & M Scudamore| OR: 112

12/1

Won a mares' maiden hurdle at Perth in spring 2024 before shaping up well all 3 starts in defeat in handicaps last season. Badly let down by jumping at Hexham on chase bow/return and her jumping also lacked conviction when below-form fourth back hurdling at Ayr since.

Form: 1/423-F4

Glen Road²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Peter Kavanagh| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 112| D

5/1

Made it 3 wins in his last 5 starts when proving too strong for 8 rivals at Wetherby (21f, soft) 3 weeks ago. Raised 6 lb but the second boosted the form when successful at Leicester on Thursday. Much respected.

Form: 6161-31

Coconut Splash²⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr Kit Alexander⁽⁵⁾| T: N W Alexander| OR: 111

22/1

Useful chaser at his best but hard to win with. Shaped as if needing last month's return from an absence at Ayr (hurdle) and this should reveal more.

Form: 3432/P-6

Follow Charlie^p²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Ben Smith⁽⁷⁾| T: R M Smith| OR: 110

16/1

Gained reward for a series of good efforts when scoring at Perth in May. Not so good back there in the autumn but returned to form with a vengeance to win at Ayr (20.5f, soft) 25 days ago. Should remain competitive off 7 lb higher.

Form: 32-1061

Rememberthename⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Craig Nichol| T: A M Thomson| OR: 104

20/1

Placed twice in Irish maiden hurdles before making a sound start to his handicap career for new stable when third of 8 over C&D (good to soft) 6 weeks ago. May do better.

Form: P-66323

Nights In Venice^t³⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-3| J: Charlie Maggs⁽⁵⁾| T: D W Whillans| OR: 93

25/1

Has only an Ayr handicap chase success in February 2024 to show from his 23 starts. Well held on Ayr reappearance last month and remains to be seen whether a return to hurdles for the first time in 2 years helps to spark a revival.

Form: 3/P333-8

Forecasts

Authorized Mission (1/1), Glen Road (5/1), Malicash (6/1), Disco Davis (9/1), Fox's Fancy (12/1), Follow Charlie (16/1), Rememberthename (20/1), Coconut Splash (22/1), Nights In Venice (25/1), Gaillimh A Stor (28/1)

AUTHORIZED MISSION won with a lot of authority on his course stable debut last month and is worth a chance to show he can cope with a higher mark. Glen Road's Wetherby win received a boost when the runner-up went in at Leicester the other day and he's second choice ahead of Malicash.