Rain and sleet, a cold easterly wind, one dry day so far in 2026 and 91mm of rain in the first 12 days of February.  No wonder it is heavy for Kelso’s fixture tomorrow, the east has had the worst of it and Kelso no exception.  Does sound like it will be deep ground but hopefully it will be wet rather than holding and we are down to three runners, largely due to the conditions.

Ginger Mail

We start with two runners in the 2m handicap hurdle at 14.30, course and distance winner Ginger Mail (Bruce) and handicap debutant Lance les Des (Sean), 10 run.  Not ideal having them take each other on but we have to do the best for each horse as an individual and it certainly feels like the right race for them both.  Ginger has appeared not to stay on his last two starts and as a result his mark has slipped to 4lb below when he won this time last year so if he handles the ground and stamina has been the issue then he would have a very good chance – unraced on heavy, won three times on soft.

Lance les Des with Katie after his last run at Kelso

Lance les Des is an improving young horse whose form is pretty solid and has a fair mark despite going up 3lb in defeat last time.  He seems in good order and if he copes well first time with the hurly burly of a handicap then he should run well round a track we know he likes – ran very well in a bumper on heavy so ought to be OK on the ground.

Elvis Mail (left)

Our veteran star Elvis Mail returns to his favourite hunting ground in the 15.00; his last engagement here having been lost to the weather in January, he was ready that day so we have just been keeping him ticking over since.  A small field round Kelso is just what he wants but to give weight away all round to good horses in these conditions is a big ask.  He’s in great form and has won on heavy, I suspect he will be fine if it is wet but not if it is holding – 6 run and Bruce rides.

Better be Definite jumps the last at Ayr

We were delighted with Better be Definite winning in great style in attritional conditions at Ayr on Tuesday, great stuff.  Elsewhere on the card many of our runners (and a lot of other horses) failed to handle the very holding ground.  We were particularly pleased with Whathaveyou finishing 3rd, Jirko filled the same position but needs to drop back in trip if he encounters those conditions again, Oor Wish was 4th.  Old Comrades and Ozzy Cosmo ran well enough given the ground but Burning it Up didn’t really run his race, he was kicked at the start, didn’t get the lead and was badly interfered with on the bend but I think the real issue was the ground.

A well deserved reward for the patience shown by his Owners bringing him back from injury