Big Bad Dream at Newcastle Tuesday

Big Bad Dream has started joint favourite in each of his last two handicap hurdle runs this season but made little impression in either race. So, it's with some trepidation that he carries the stable hopes tomorrow in the 2m 4½f handicap hurdle (Class 5) at Newcastle on Tuesday. Off time is 2.50pm.
Official advance going is good to soft but the ground is drying fast so it may run a bit faster.

Mainly it is his jumping that is the weak point for Big Bad Dream, with hesitation leading to a lack of all round confidence. Of course we've tried all manner of schooling at home. We did school him over fences at the start of the season but these were clearly not for him, and it may have been that was where his sense of uneasiness began.

Still, Blair Campbell takes off 3lb so we'll see how he goes.

By far the most interesting horse in the field is Daragh Bourke's Gallahers Cross, who you may remember was the 3rd horse in a multi million pound 'coup' attempt back in February. In a grade higher there, that horse travelled well but had nothing more to give from 2 out and finished 4th.
Interesting here.

Anyway, good luck to The Brave Lads, fingers crossed!

 
Big Bad Dream leads Eternally Yours

Morning gallop at Kelso Racecourse on Sunday

Kelso racecourse staged their richest ever meeting on Saturday - and were rewarded with some top class racing.

Sadly, we didn't quite have any entries but we were very grateful to the management and staff on Sunday Morning as 10 horses were permitted to have a gallop. Local handlers Katie Scott and Harriet Graham were among the trainers represented, and we sent Callum and Garry along with a couple of unraced 5 year olds.

Nights In Venice and Enemy At The Gate seemed to enjoy the experience and will have benefitted from the outing. Both were held up in rear of an 8-strong group and finished in that position, full of running.
Both should be making a bumper debut in the next couple of weeks or so.

Nights In Venice (Callum) and Enemy At The Gate (Garry) - pic from Kelso Racecourse/Alan Raeburn

Last Week - Dali Mail a gallant second at Ayr

A fine run, and a gallant runner up, by Dali Mail at Ayr last week in the 2 mile handicap chase.

Making a belated appearance after a near 3 month absence, the grey gelding tracked the leaders most of the way but made a slight error 6 out.
However, he soon recovered and Callum moved him to join the leading group 4 out. This fence changed the shape of the race as the well fancied Reivers Lad came down and brought down 2nd-fav Victory Moon.
That left Dali Mail in a clear lead but lack of a recent run started to show slightly approaching the last when he was challenged by the lightly weighted Ardera Cross who pulled clear on the run-in.

Still, this was his best performance since winning on chase debut last season, and as long as conditions stay to his liking we'd be hopeful of going one better soon.