Sunday runners at Kelso

Just down the road to our local track with 4 runners, a mixture of seasoned handicappers and promising young novice hurdlers.

Honda Fifty starts us off in the first race at 11.55am, and is fancied to put in a bold showing.
He ran well last season when runner-up in a couple of bumpers and although unsuited by the heavy ground at Carlisle on hurdling debut, he jumped nicely to stay on into 4th. We'd not want too much rain beforehand but he's in fine form at home and Blair Campbell again takes the ride.

Rose's Trooper Turnbull is the obvious one to beat based on his fine 2nd (beaten a short head) over course and distance at the end of October.
Donald McCain runs a couple, the mare Esme Shelby and the ex Trevor Hemmings gelding Donladd. Both made their hurdling debuts over further and it may well be that 2 miles around Kelso is a bit sharp for the pair.

The remainder look the types to benefit from experience.

L-R : Paper Promise (Alan), Honda Fifty (Callum), Our Elsie and (the now retired) Keyboard Gangster

Paper Promise returns for the season in the next race, a Conditional Jockeys' handicap hurdle over 2 miles and change. To be ridden by jockeys who, prior to November 5th, 2020, have not ridden more than 20 winners under any Rules of Racing so we've secured Tom Buckley who now has 22 jumps winners to his credit......

She's a bit of an enigma, not only to the yard but to her owners. Hugely talented, a dual bumper winner and novice hurdle winner but has had us tearing our hair out last season. She travels well in her races to about 3 out but fails to finish.

The eye-catcher here is Maurice Barnes' progressive novice Saint Arvans while Aidan Macdonald takes the ride on Scobie's Lord Condi if that horse can recapture former glories. That same phrase applies to a few here, not least the former Kerry Lee useful chaser Tree of Liberty.

More to this race than at first glance, but we hope that Paper Promise can show some signs of a revival.

Paper Promise (Georgina)

In the mares only novice hurdle at 1.32, over an extended 2½ miles, Steve Chamberlain's lovely Yeats mare Our Elsie makes her hurdling debut.
She has schooled well at home but this is a hot novice for its kind so we'll be looking for Our Elsie to enjoy the outing and benefit from the experience.

On form shown to date, Wild Polly, Southern Girl and Bourbon Beauty should be fighting out the finish while impressive bumper winner Blue Hawaii could run well on her hurdling bow.

Our Elsie (Leah) leading a young stable companion

 You know, if you were to build the frame and conformation of a stout, old-fashioned chaser you'd end up with something not a million miles away from Big Bad Dream.
A fine, workmanlike type who gallops forever - but with an Achilles Heel......he's not that fluent a jumper.
There's no doubt his last appearance at Kelso was helped by the omission of 5 of the 11 hurdles and he chased home the runaway winner (Leostar) to take a clear second place.
The Dodlands' team work with the gelding in the schooling yard on a regular basis and we're sure one day the penny will drop.......

Big Bad Dream is again weighted to be competitive in this 2m 6½f 0-105 handicap hurdle and one day things will fall into place.
Kelso Sunday? Let's see, Craig Nichol is in the saddle.......keep pushing Craig.

Big Bad Dream (Kingy)

A bumper Sunday for Dodlands to round off an thrilling weekend back at the races.
Good luck to all four (!) of our jockey and owners - Chamberlain Bros., Ron & Eileen Smith, Wee Davie, Ian Aitken and the Brave Lads from Jedburgh.