125-1 Perth winner! and five runners for Kelso tomorrow including Elvis Mail

Cold wind today, showery, and we will be hoping for some rain at Kelso for our five  runners tomorrow.  Spirits are high after a 125-1 winner at Perth on Tuesday in the form of Just an Artist, a lovely surprise!  We have always thought she was a nice filly but didn’t really expect her to be able to do this as a 4yo, reversing the form nicely with the first two from her debut bumper at Musselburgh – there should be plenty more to come from her.  Our other three runners all ran well finishing 4th, particularly promising debut from The G Wizard and handicap debut from Platin Moon.

And so to Kelso tomorrow where our first runner is Lester Mail who is making his hurdling debut in the 1.35 having won a bumper at the track in April.  He schools well and should enjoy the track/trip/ground but as ever the priority will be a clear round and ensuring he enjoys the hurdling experience in what looks a pretty strong maiden – Bruce rides and the field is the maximum 14.

My Lady Elektra makes her chasing debut in the 2.10; she has plenty of hurdling experience, has done a lot of schooling and has run her best hurdle races at the track.  However, again the main priority will be a clear round and trying to ensure she enjoys chasing – Bruce rides and 9 run.

Ballyfort reverts to chasing in the 2.45 having had a false start in this sphere last season.  Despite his iffy form over fences he is actually a good jumper and if he can get into a rhythm over the larger obstacles he could play a part as he looks nicely handicapped over the larger obstacles however it has to be said he ran averagely at this fixture last season.  Seems better this time round – Bruce rides and 9 run.

Elvis Mail has won the last two runnings of the feature Edinburgh Gin Chase and goes for the hat trick tomorrow having been sidelined since he gave himself a nasty injury at Doncaster in December.  He’s had a great preparation, has a good record first time out and seems on very good terms with himself but a career best will be required and is that realistic at the age of 11?  Not impossible but a huge ask in the circumstances, rain would certainly help – Bruce rides and 9 run.

Finally we run Anamanda in the conditional jockeys training hurdle at 5.05; she was narrowly beaten over course and distance in April and should have come on for her run last month at Perth.  This represents a step up in class but she ought to run very well with the added benefit of Dom’s 8lb claim – 9 run.

Can’t beat Kelso on a Saturday at this time of year in my book and brilliant to be going there with a lovely bunch of runners; this fixture always kicks off the season proper for us and am sure will have a wonderful atmosphere.  Come along if you can. Home safe please all horses and riders, I might be a little tense until they are.  Elvis Mail is having his 14th race at the track with the first one having been in 2018 under a certain Lucy Alexander; special to also have his only full brother, Lester Mail running on the card, seven years younger than him.  This sort of continuity is one of the many things I love about jump racing.