Raining heavily here today, well forecast and it looks like a stormy weekend in prospect.  Uncomfortable but necessary to rebalance the books water wise from many perspectives.  With Cheltenham this weekend and the rain arriving the National Hunt season feels as if it is taking off.  Aside from our own runners we are also excited for daughter Clare & her husband Toby’s runners from their new base in Lambourn; the Jockey Club and Racing TV put together a lovely profile of Toby which you might enjoy watching here.

Our momentum is building and there are few things I like more than a Kelso Saturday fixture; the ground there for tomorrow was good this morning and likely to ease, we have five horses declared.

Royal March

We are double handed in the opening race at 13.37, a two mile maiden hurdle for horses that haven’t run on the flat.  Royal March (Kevin Brogan) is making his stable and hurdling debut having been 2nd on his only bumper start prior to us acquiring him at Goffs in May.  He seems a lovely straightforward horse and has been a natural in all his schooling so I hope he can give a good account.  Oor Wish (Bruce) is having her 3rd run over hurdles; she showed some nice form in bumpers last season without really building on her January debut.  She will be a stronger and better mare over further this season and a spin over two miles should set her up nicely. 6 run.

Oor Wish

Suspected makes his chasing debut in the 3m novice chase at 14.10; he progressed nicely over hurdles late last season and there should be lots more to come over fences, he schools well and whilst a clear round will be the priority he ought to be competitive though I do wonder if he might be marginally better right handed – 5 run and Bruce rides.

Suspected

Ballyfort runs in the 2m handicap chase at 14.44; he was a slightly fortunate winner of this race last year off 2lb lower and then progressed nicely through the season finishing up with a career best in a good handicap at the Scottish National meeting at Ayr in April.  He’s summered well and a repeat of that would give him a good chance – 6 run and Bruce rides.

Ballyfort

Finally we run Maillot Blanc in the conditional jockeys handicap hurdle at 16.55; a winner at the track in May over slightly shorter he is 2lb higher tomorrow.  He should have come on for his seasonal debut at Perth last month and this race ticks all the boxes for him so I’d hope he will run well – 9 run and Dom rides.

Maillot Blanc

A fine day at Carlisle yesterday with Half Track (3rd) bouncing back to form and Old Comrades (6th) both showing that their form last season was all wrong.  Bel Amigo (5th) also ran well.

Dreich today – damp and misty after a wet night.  Off to Carlisle tomorrow with three runners on ground that I am hoping will have eased slightly from the current “good”.

Old Comrades

We start off with Old Comrades in the novice hurdle at 13.17; he looked like an out and out stayer when he won his point to point in Ireland in spring 2025 and he ran like he hadn’t acclimatised on his two starts for the yard last season.  He seems much better this time round and is having a run over 2m to bring him forward.  Hopefully a horse to look forward to when he steps up in trip this winter – 13 run and Bruce rides.

Bel Amigo

Bel Amigo drops back in trip to 2m in the conditional jockeys handicap hurdle at  13.52; my initial inclination had been to step up in trip but he has a good record over this course and distance including when runner up in this race a year ago so thought worth another go.  This year’s renewal looks more competitive but he is 5lb lower now and ought to give a good account – 8 run and Dom rides.

Half Track

Finally we run Half Track in the 2m 4f handicap hurdle at 15.02; he was out of sorts last season and as a result has come down the weights and is now 15lb lower than when runner up here in December 2024.  Certainly has a chance on paper if anywhere near back to his best – that’s the question, I’ve been very happy with him at home. 13 run and Bruce rides.

At Hexham yesterday neither of our runners handled the track particularly well but we were very pleased with Lester Mail staying on nicely to be 3rd and Burning it Up did what was required in terms of completing safely prior to finishing 6th – he’s better than this though.  An excellent card at Carlisle tomorrow for anyone inclined to have a day at the races – great to see the wonderful Golden Ace appearing in the best hurdle of the season so far.

Much colder today and an autumnal week in prospect.  Not a bad thing with good to firm ground prevailing at the Northern jumps tracks, a decent amount of rain would be most welcome.  It looks like being quite damp at Hexham over the next 24 hours which will hopefully be just enough to put the ground right, we have two declared runners and Bruce rides them both.

Lester Mail

First up is Lester Mail taking a small step up in class in the 15.07; he ran well to be 4th in his first two handicaps late on last season shaping as if he would be better over further.  2m 4f tomorrow may actually be on the sharp side for him but it’s a good place to start and it is quite a stiff 2m 4f, I’ve probably always thought he would be best on a flat track so the Hexham topography is very much an unknown but the race ticks every other box so worth finding out.  9 run.

Burning it Up

Our other runner is Burning it Up in the 3m handicap chase at 16.50; he unseated after a circuit on seasonal and chase debut last month at Perth so we didn’t learn much that day.  With that in mind the priority tomorrow will be a clear round, he’s done plenty of schooling since Perth and does seem in very good form so if his jumping comes together and he stays the 3m then he could be competitive. 9 run.

Ned Tanner heading to post at Perth last week

A good day at Perth last week with Ned Tanner and Le Coup d’Envoi both finishing 3rd, Dubai Days also ran well though tired a little in the closing stages.  I was greatly encouraged by Shooting’s effort for a circuit but he tired very quickly turning for home; he’s been off a long time so I’d give him the benefit of the doubt for now and put it down to fitness / lack of match practice.  After Hexham tomorrow we hope to be at Carlisle on Thursday and Kelso on Saturday.