Dedicated Hero will be aimed at Kelso’s Bet365 Premier Novices’ Hurdle having won the Rossington Main at Haydock on Saturday.
Sandy Thomson’s six-year-old won two bumpers at the Borders track and also claimed a maiden hurdle there before stepping up in grade last weekend.
He looked to face a stiff task against Dan Skelton’s long odds-on favourite Royal Infantry, but with that one running below par, Dedicated Hero took full advantage.
Despite being outpaced at the top of the straight, he stayed on strongly and won by half a length, even though jockey Ryan Mania dropped his whip.
“I was absolutely delighted with him,” said Thomson.
“He’s only lost twice, both times at Carlisle, so whether he doesn’t like going right-handed or he doesn’t like the hill at Carlisle, I don’t know, but other than that he’s done nothing wrong.
“He’s going to stay further than two miles, that’s probably on the short side for him, so he’ll go to Kelso next over two-mile-two and hopefully we’ll get a bit of rain before the Premier Hurdle.
“Haydock was sharp enough for him, it’s not even two miles and the ground wasn’t actually that soft.
“He’s not overly-big, he’s big enough but we haven’t even thought about chasing, to be honest – we’ll concentrate on this season first.
“He’s come back bouncing, it’s five weeks to Kelso and it’s great timing.”
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Kempton’s Coral Lanzarote Hurdle meeting scheduled for Saturday has been abandoned due to a frozen track.
Conditions deteriorated rapidly at the course, as just 24 hours previously there had been no inspection planned.
Earlier in the week the problem had been flooding, but that had receded in time to make the course raceable by Thursday.
However, an extremely cold night which saw temperatures reach almost minus 7C scuppered any plans of racing.
Clerk of the course Barney Clifford said: “We’d just been waiting for confirmation from all the forecasts, but we’re forecast minus 2C again tonight and a high of 2C tomorrow.
“We’re not going to get above 2C today, it’s currently still sitting at minus 2.5C at 10.45am and we’re still frozen solid.
“It was an easy call because we recorded a minus 6.8C which, apart from a minus 11C in 2010, is about as cold as I can remember it here. Thankfully it’s due to warm up in a few days.”
A precautionary inspection due to “vagaries of the forecasts” will be held at 7.30am for the Saturday action at Ffos Las. The meeting was added to the schedule by the British Horseracing Authority earlier in the week.
Elsewhere, Friday’s all-weather meeting at Lingfield was abandoned following a second inspection and Kelso on Sunday off due to a frozen track.
Lingfield’s Polytrack surface was described as too lumpy and it was deemed there was insufficient time and temperatures to see enough improvement.
Saturday’s meetings at Warwick and Wetherby were others already lost. The Unibet Veterans’ Final, originally due to take place at Sandown last week and then moved to Warwick, will now take place at Market Rasen on Friday.
After an early-morning inspection, Kelso clerk of the course James Armstrong posted on X: “Sadly we have no option but to abandon racing on Sunday.
“We have now had two successive nights of hard frost and more to come. The track is frozen. Positive temperatures not likely until late morning on Sunday, which is clearly not enough time for a thaw!”
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Today’s all-weather meeting at Lingfield has been abandoned following a second inspection, while tomorrow’s card at Kempton is subject to an 11.30am review this morning and Kelso’s Sunday fixture has already been called off due to a frozen track.
Lingfield’s Polytrack surface was described as too lumpy and it was deemed there was insufficient time and temperatures to see enough improvement.
Overnight temperatures at Kempton dropped to minus 6.5C and were still as low as minus 6C at 7am this morning, leaving the track frozen in places.
Today’s temperatures are forecast to reach 2C before again dropping below zero overnight to minus 4C.
Tomorrow’s meetings at Warwick and Wetherby had already been called off.
After an early-morning inspection today, Kelso clerk of the course James Armstrong posted on X: “Sadly we have no option but to abandon racing on Sunday.
“We have now had two successive nights of hard frost and more to come. The track is frozen. Positive temperatures not likely until late morning on Sunday, which is clearly not enough time for a thaw!”
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Nells Son provided his trainer Nicky Richards with a “great tonic” by claiming top honours in the Richard Landale Memorial Handicap Chase at Kelso on Sunday.
The 68-year-old is currently in hospital after suffering a number of serious injuries in a fall on the gallops at his Greystoke yard late last month, including a broken shoulder, broken pelvis and broken ribs.
Just a couple of weeks earlier his stable stalwart Nells Son had made a fine start to his campaign with a lucrative success in a four-runner graduation chase at Carlisle to set up a tilt at this £75,000 feature in the Scottish borders.
The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Matata took the field along at a strong gallop for much of the way and had the majority of his rivals on the stretch from before the home turn.
Nells Son outstays Matata in the closing stages to hold on for victory in the Richard Landale Memorial Handicap Chase, two wins on the spin for the @NGRichardsRace gelding 🙌 pic.twitter.com/VMB3PgxqMM
Nells Son (6-1) and Danny McMenamin managed to keep themselves in the fight though and a bold leap at the final fence gave him them momentum he needed as Richards’ charge reeled in Matata on the run-in and got up by a neck.
Speaking from his hospital bed in Carlisle, Richards said: “I’m delighted with him, completely delighted. It was a competitive little race, but he’s always been a very decent horse.
“We were messing about over two and a half miles and things like that, but I think he’s just an out-and-out two-miler. Those top-class two-mile chasers need a good gallop and he got that today.
“He’s a good servant and has landed a couple of good pots now this season, so we’ll have to try to get another one with him now. I’m quite sure he’ll hold his own in top-class handicaps.
“We’ll try to find a race in January with him. I’m laid out in hospital at the moment, but I’ll try to get hold of the programme book, try to get another three nice races into him and hopefully we’ll have had a cracking season with him.”
On his recovery, Richards added: “I’m lucky enough the nurse has been and got me a shot of that morphine, so I’m feeling pretty good at the moment!
“It’s sore and it’s going to be a steady process, but I have a great team at home and the horses are wanting for nothing anyway.
“I’m basically waiting to get myself up and moving a bit. Hopefully I might get down to the little cottage hospital in Penrith and get a physio doing a bit of work on me and then hopefully it won’t be too long before I’m home again.
“I just listened to the race today on the phone and it’s a great tonic.”
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Lucinda Russell celebrated the 1,000th winner of her training career as Starlyte prevailed at Kelso.
The 58-year-old sent out her first runners in 1995 and enjoyed her best campaign numerically when registering 75 victories last season.
Russell hit the headlines in 2017 when One For Arthur won the Grand National at Aintree, with the handler claiming a second crown in the marathon contest when Corach Rambler grabbed the glory in 2023.
One For Arthur was Lucinda Russell’s first Grand National winner (Ian Rutherford/PA)
She has also sent out the likes of Grade One winners Apple Away, Ahoy Senor and the ill-fated Brindisi Breeze from her Kinross yard, with the last-named horse and Corach Rambler providing Cheltenham Festival wins.
Starlyte brought up the landmark win in style, assuming control at the top of the straight in the Graeme Todd Memorial Handicap Hurdle before powering home under Patrick Wadge to win by six lengths.
Russell said: “Reaching the landmark has been a real team effort.
“I would especially like to thank all the owners who have supported me since I took out a professional licence for the 1995-96 season, all the jockeys who have ridden for me and all the staff who have worked for me.
“Without their hard work and dedication, none of this would have been possible.
“What has been central in every one of the 1,000 wins, no matter where they have been or how big the race was, is the enjoyment we have shared with our owners. I have been touched by how many have got in contact in the last few days as this moment approached.
“Our two Grand National wins with One For Arthur in 2017 and Corach Rambler in 2023 helped to significantly raise the profile of the stable but the bedrock of our success has been at the bread-and-butter meetings around England, Scotland and Wales.
“Those victories have allowed us both to improve the quality of our horses and plan challenges in some of the biggest races of the jumps season, but it is very appropriate that we should reach this landmark at a Scottish track.
“Starlyte provided our 139th win at Kelso and the only racecourse I have had more jump winners at is Ayr with 152.”
Peter Scudamore and Lucinda Russell with Corach Rambler (Andrew Milligan/PA)
Russell’s partner, the eight-times champion jockey Peter Scudamore, is also her assistant trainer along with his son Michael, who will share a joint-licence with Russell in the near future.
She added: “Michael is already an integral part of our team, bringing fresh energy and ideas as we have expanded in recent seasons.
“His involvement means we are able to lavish even more personal attention to both the care of our horses and recruitment of new equine talent.
“Nothing will change in our day-to-day operation when Michael is officially on the licence. The Arlary House mantra is that the horse comes first in everything we do with our surroundings and natural resources, providing each horse the very best opportunity to reach its potential.”
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Hopes of any turf racing taking place in Britain on Saturday hinge on a second precautionary inspection at Uttoxeter at 7.30am.
Friday’s jumps cards at Fontwell, Wetherby and Wexford all fell victim to the persistent wet spell, while Saturday’s card at Stratford and Kelso’s Premier Raceday were also abandoned due to waterlogging.
Officials at Uttoxeter staged an initial inspection at 2pm on Friday to assess the latest state of play and while standing water remains in some areas, the track was described as raceable, prompting the team to announce a further check for raceday morning.
A statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, read: “Following our precautionary inspection at 2pm, the track is currently raceable with no rain since 7.30am.
“We are optimistic that we will be able to race tomorrow, however, due to variable forecasts, we will be holding another precautionary inspection at 7:30am.”
Saturday’s Curragh meeting, due to feature the Group Three Tote.ie Alleged Stakes, is also subject to a 7.30am inspection.
Brendan Sheridan, the IHRB clerk of the course at the Curragh, said on Friday morning: “Following a further 6.5mm of rain overnight, the Curragh remains heavy and fit for racing. Having spoken with Met Éireann this morning, there is the possibility of a further 8-11mm of rain between now and 5.35pm tomorrow.
“However, we are also faced with the prospect of Storm Kathleen which has the potential to bring high gusts of wind through tomorrow. On the basis of the forecast for further rain, we will have a 7.30am inspection on Saturday morning to assess if the track remains fit for racing.
“Should the track remain fit for racing at that point, we will continue to monitor the situation and consult with Met Éireann in relation to the high winds.”
Saturday’s racing programme is completed by all-weather cards at Chelmsford and Kempton and the disruption looks likely to continue, with Downpatrick’s Sunday meeting hinging on a 7.30am check.
Tuesday’s Flat meeting at Navan has already been cancelled, while Hexham’s jumps card on the same day also looks in serious doubt, with officials calling an inspection for 7.30am on Sunday.
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This afternoon’s meeting at Fontwell and Saturday’s Premier fixture at Kelso are the latest to fall foul of the persistent wet spell.
Officials at Fontwell held a precautionary inspection at 7.30am following over 30mm of rain through the week and a further 7mm in the last 24 hours tipped the decision over the edge.
Unfortunately for Kelso, where the £100,000 Herring Queen Series Final Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle was the feature on a valuable card, heavy rain overnight left the course unraceable and more is forecast.
Clerk of the course Matthew Taylor said: “Unfortunately we’ve had a further 12mm overnight and it has left us unraceable.
“We had 22mm yesterday but then we had some improvement which was significant but this further 12mm has set us back quite a way. Up to 50 per cent of the track is waterlogged.
“It has just stopped raining by 8am and it is a bit breezy but we’ve got random sporadic showers forecast this afternoon which will be heavy and there’s a further rain band coming in Friday night and into Saturday morning.
“That wouldn’t give us enough time to do the work needed so we’ve had to abandon. We’re really sorry, we were desperate to get it on as a Premier raceday but we just can’t guarantee the integrity of the structure of the surface underneath.”
Wexford in Ireland were also forced to abandon on Friday, while the meeting at Wetherby had already been called off.
Saturday’s Curragh fixture, due to feature the Group Three Alleged Stakes, is subject to a 7.30am inspection, while officials at Downpatrick will inspect at 7.30am on Sunday ahead of their jumps meeting later that day.
Brendan Sheridan, the IHRB clerk of the course at the Curragh, said: “Following a further 6.5mm of rain overnight, the Curragh remains heavy and fit for racing. Having spoken with Met Éireann this morning, there is the possibility of a further 8-11mm of rain between now and 5.35pm tomorrow.
“However, we are also faced with the prospect of Storm Kathleen which has the potential to bring high gusts of wind through tomorrow. On the basis of the forecast for further rain, we will have a 7.30am inspection on Saturday morning to assess if the track remains fit for racing.
“Should the track remain fit for racing at that point, we will continue to monitor the situation and consult with Met Éireann in relation to the high winds.”
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Disruption to the fixture list looks set to continue into the weekend after Wetherby’s meeting on Friday became the latest to fall due to a waterlogged track.
With no sign of the current wet spell coming to an end, Southwell flew the flag for jumps racing in Britain on Thursday, with meetings at Warwick and at Clonmel in Ireland both called off.
Officials at Wetherby called an inspection for 3pm on Thursday ahead of Friday’s card and made the decision to draw stumps shortly after.
A statement on the track’s website read: “There has been insufficient improvement during the last 24 hours and the ground remains waterlogged, with false ground in several areas. A further 12-15 millimetres of rain is expected overnight Thursday into Friday morning.”
Fontwell’s Friday fixture is also under threat, with a precautionary check called for 7.30am, while Saturday’s Premier Raceday at Kelso is already in doubt.
The Borders track is due to host a high-profile card, part of which is set to be shown live on ITV, but the ground is described as heavy, waterlogged in places and an inspection will take place at 8am on Friday to assess the latest state of play.
Officials at Uttoxeter will inspection at 2pm on Friday ahead of the track’s meeting the following day, while Chelmsford’s meeting scheduled for Saturday evening has been moved to an earlier start, from 5.25pm to 2.50pm.
A statement from the British Horseracing Authority read: “In light of the current forecast for Saturday April 6, the BHA has agreed to move Chelmsford City’s fixture to a 2.50 start and rearranged the running order.
“This is in order to ensure an appropriate level of racing content for our customers on Saturday afternoon and offer potential ITV coverage to the Woodford Reserve Cardinal Conditions Stakes at 3.30 should other fixtures on Saturday be abandoned.”
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This afternoon’s National Hunt meeting at Warwick has become the latest victim of the current wet spell, with course officials left with no option but to abandon the fixture due to a waterlogged track.
While persistent rain continues to play havoc with the racing programme, no inspection was planned at Warwick, with only minimal rainfall forecast overnight.
However, the track posted on X on Thursday morning: “Following 16 millimetres of rainfall overnight and into this morning, which is a significant change from the three millimetres initially forecast, the track is now waterlogged and therefore unraceable.
“All tickets will automatically be refunded.”
Southwell’s Thursday card is set to go ahead as scheduled after the course passed a precautionary check at 7.30am, but racing at Clonmel in Ireland has been called off.
Further disruption looks likely heading into the weekend, with Friday’s meeting at Wetherby subject to a 3pm inspection this afternoon and Saturday’s Premier Raceday at Kelso also under threat.
The Borders track is due to host a high-profile card, part of which is set to be shown live on ITV, but the ground is currently heavy, waterlogged in places and an inspection will take place at 8am on Friday to assess the latest state of play.
Chelmsford’s meeting scheduled for Saturday evening has been moved to an earlier start, from 5.25 to 2.50.
A statement from the British Horseracing Authority read: “In light of the current forecast for Saturday April 6, the BHA has agreed to move Chelmsford City’s fixture to a 2.50 start and rearranged the running order.
“This is in order to ensure an appropriate level of racing content for our customers on Saturday afternoon and offer potential ITV coverage to the Woodford Reserve Cardinal Conditions Stakes at 3.30 should other fixtures on Saturday be abandoned.”
Tomorrow’s National Hunt meeting at Southwell and Friday’s jumps card at Wetherby will need to survive inspections to go ahead.
While the Flat season is now under way, the persistent rain is playing havoc with the new campaign, with the meeting at Nottingham on Wednesday abandoned.
Catterick’s card did go ahead after passing an inspection but there is no sign of the wet weather abating and Southwell has called a precautionary check for 7.30am.
The course is currently raceable, but should more rain than the forecast showers fall overnight, then there may be an issue.
There is a jumps meeting at Warwick where the ground is heavy but no inspection is currently planned.
It is a similar story at Fontwell on Friday but at Wetherby there are “multiple areas of standing water/waterlogged ground”.
An inspection will be held at 3pm on Thursday after 7mm of rain fell on Tuesday night and a further 6mm arrived through Wednesday up to 1pm. The forecast for Thursday is mainly dry but another 11mm is forecast for Thursday night.
Kelso are also keeping an eye on the situation ahead of their Premier meeting on Saturday.
A post on social media read: “We are closely monitoring the weather conditions with regard to racing on Saturday. We will be in a better position to assess the impact of today’s rainfall by Thursday morning, when declarations will be made for Saturday’s races.”
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Nicky Henderson was back among the winners on Saturday to give him something to smile about as he awaits the Cheltenham Festival fate of Constitution Hill.
The champion hurdler scoped badly in the immediate aftermath of his disappointing Kempton workout on Tuesday, while blood test results received on Thursday gave connections even more cause for concern.
A further scope conducted on Friday appeared more encouraging, but Henderson revealed a second blood test to be taken on Monday would be the “acid test”.
He said: “The blood test on Monday will tell us everything and we will know where we are after that.
“If we don’t get the results we want on Monday I wouldn’t go as far as to say it will be the end of the season. Let’s just cross each bridge when we come across it.
“When you train horses you are going to walk into these situations and you’ve got to face up to it.
“It had all been too easy. Everybody thinks it is ‘ABC’ and it has been with him, except he can’t tell you when he’s wrong because he so laid-back about life.
“He’s the slowest walker, the slowest trotter and you have to drag him out of bed on a morning. With most horses you can tell, but with him you can’t as he can’t talk to you, most horses can.”
Spring Note won at Newbury for the Seven Barrows handler, while the Grade One-winning Jango Baie finished second in front of Henderson at Kelso, after which he said: “That’s the second time he’s had to run in a really good race with a 5lb penalty, it stops them. But if you win a Grade One you can’t have your cake and eat it.
“He’s a good horse. He wants to go up in trip, there’s no doubt about that, two-mile-two is tight for him. You could go two and a half but he won over two miles at Aintree, mainly because he stays.
“Over fences he’ll be going three, I’d imagine, and he’ll be very good. This time next year hopefully we’ll be talking about Cheltenham with him.
“Of course it’s nice to see one run well, I’m conscious of what’s happening, but it’s not a lot of pleasure, I can tell you that.
“To be fair the ground in our neck of the woods is so bad, and our horses always want better ground.”
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Thunder Rock provided Sean Bowen with his biggest success since returning from injury in the Listed bet365 Premier Chase at Kelso.
Bowen – who has seen his lead at the top of the jockeys’ championship eroded and then passed by Harry Cobden – has struggled for winners since his return to action but victory on one of Olly Murphy’s stable stars will have done him the world of good.
Given a patient ride, Thunder Rock grew in confidence as the race progressed, as Minella Drama, Aye Right and Elvis Mail tried to stretch things.
Grand National fancy Monbeg Genius struggled to get on terms and when Thunder Rock went cruising on by as they turned into the straight, it was clear he had no more to give.
Thunder Rock found plenty in the home straight and the heavily-backed 9-4 favourite came home seven lengths clear of Minella Drama, booking himself a ticket to Aintree and a step back up in class.
Thunder Rock and Sean Bowen come home clear (Nick Robson/PA)
Bowen said: “He proved he stays three miles. They went quick and every time I gave him a squeeze he picked up.
“I was confident where I was and Olly gave me a lot of confidence going out to ride him. I’d been riding a lot more seconds than winners since I came back and I was getting a bit frustrated. It always helps having a good boss like that.”
Murphy said: “I really enjoyed that. I went to Cheltenham in December when I felt like I’d set him up for a big handicap but he may as well have pulled up and it’s been an upward curve since then.
“He ran well the last day at Musselburgh on the wrong track when he was wheel-spinning for two and a half miles but it did his confidence good.
“I said to Sean not to get in a battle with him and ride him with confidence because he was the classiest horse in the race and to make that tell and he did just that.
“It’s been hard for Sean, he’s riding through pain and we’ve had a quiet couple of weeks ourselves so this will do him the world of good.”
He added: “I think we’ll go to Aintree with him for the Bowl now, it’s a Grade One so he’ll need to step up again but a small field suits him and he’ll be back over 150 in a handicap again.”
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Just a week on from seeing an £80,000 prize snatched from his grasp in the Eider Chase, Ewan Whillans was celebrating winning the £120,000 bet365 Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso with Cracking Rhapsody.
When Prince Des Fichaux was reeled in by Anglers Crag after the last at Newcastle, Whillans could have been forgiving for thinking his best chance of winning a major handicap had slipped through his fingers.
However, in Cracking Rhapsody he had an unexposed novice on his hands with course form up his sleeve and the 9-1 chance turned what looked a competitive race into something of a procession.
With Nicky Henderson’s morning favourite Under Control a non-runner, it opened the race up and it was 7-2 the field.
But Cracking Rhapsody pulled away with Ginger Mail, another trained locally, early in the straight and by the time he jumped the last the race was won, pulling four and a half lengths clear.
Cracking Rhapsody and Craig Nichol return (Nick Robson/PA)
Whillans said: “That was unbelievable and I’m over the moon. Even though he’s still a novice he’s always been a good jumper.
“I thought they’d have gone really quick, but Craig (Nichol) had him in a lovely position and he travelled really well.
“Having been second in the Eider last week I thought that was our chance for a big race gone. We don’t have many good horses and it’s usually a case of getting in good races.
“Since last week there’s been a buzz about the yard, we’ve got about 25 horses in being ridden, we’re down a bit, but those we’ve got seem quite capable.
“There’s a novice handicap final at Sandown on the last day of the season worth £100,000 and if the ground is decent I’d say we’ll go there. He might stay over hurdles next year.”
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Personal Ambition is likely to head for Aintree’s Grand National meeting after coming out on top in thrilling renewal of the bet365 Premier Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso.
Never far from the pace set by Choose A Copper, Ben Pauling’s charge – whose only defeat in three prior hurdle starts was when third in this Grade Two company at Sandown – soon had them all at it when Kielan Woods went for home.
To his credit, 9-4 market leader Jango Baie stuck to his task when giving chase, as at one stage it looked as if Nicky Henderson’s Boxing Day Grade One scorer might drop away.
Nico de Boinville’s mount had closed right up jumping the last, but try as he might he could not quite reel the leader in under his 5lb penalty, going down by half a length to the 3-1 winner.
Pauling said: “It didn’t exactly go to plan early doors, there was a good gallop down to the first, probably too much of a gallop I would say, and he missed the first and the second and I was thinking ‘this is not ideal’.
“Thankfully he got into a nice rhythm after that and it was great that he toughed it out, as he needed to today. It wasn’t a facile victory, he had to really dig deep and he hasn’t had to do that before really, so it was great to see him do it.
“He’ll probably go to Aintree, that would be the obvious route. We were never going to go to Cheltenham because I knew that he could make the sort of mistakes he did today.
“I still think he’s a horse that just needs time on the track and I think the flat track at Aintree will suit him more than the undulations of Cheltenham.
“He’s obviously got loads of ability and he’ll be a lovely horse in time.”
Woods only returned this week after serving a 45-day suspension related to his use of the whip.
He said: “This is massive. It’s not easy for Ben Pauling to convince owners to put me up after what I’ve been doing, but I’ve learned my lesson and it’s great that Angus and Lynne (Maclennan), who are big owners, have put me up. It means a lot.
“That was brilliant. He stuck at it really well, he was good and tough. He’s very talented, but he’ll be a nicer chaser, he doesn’t have much respect for hurdles. He’ll be a good horse when he gets fences.”
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/80461b64-e026-4963-b13d-e2373e209dc9.jpg10242048Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2024-03-02 14:55:162024-03-02 15:20:08Personal Ambition holds off Jango Baie for Grade Two success at Kelso
Serious Operator provided Patrick Wadge with another valuable winner in his quest to be champion conditional jockey when seeing off Brewin’upastorm in the bet365 Handicap Hurdle at Kelso.
Trained by Lucinda Russell, Wadge’s main supplier of winners, the seven-year-old had finished fifth in the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton last time out and was a well-backed 7-2 chance.
With Wadge, who still claims 3lb, full of confidence looking for a sixth winner in his last seven rides, he waited for the right time to kick for home and jumped the last with an advantage he held to the line, winning by a length and three-quarters.
“He’s improving, his jumping was perfect but we were a bit worried about the ground because he prefers it good to soft than soft,” said Russell.
Serious Operator with winning connections (Nick Robson/PA)
“Halfway down the back I was thinking the ground was catching him out, but it wasn’t and he was entitled to go close based on his Lanzarote run.
“We’ll go chasing next year, he probably should have done it this year, but to be fair his hurdling is outstanding. He’ll go to Aintree now and he’ll stay around at two and a half miles, it suits him.”
On Wadge, she added: “I’m so proud of him and he’s riding with such confidence, it’s great.
“The title would be great, but it’s a fickle old world and there are two months still to go. He’s certainly riding at the top of his game.”
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/4de363f6-21b2-4c29-bc39-cace7fd4d609.jpg10242048Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2024-03-02 14:18:322024-03-02 15:40:05Serious Operator well named for Russell and Wadge
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