Borders racehorse trainers Ewan Whillans and Sandy Thomson lining up rapid returns to Kelso for Friday winners

Ridden by Henry Brooke, the 11/4 joint-favourite pipped Cheshire trainer’s Jungle Jack, with Brian Hughes as jockey, to the post by a neck in the two-mile Church House Investment Management Handicap Hurdle at 2.55pm to take its £7,922 top prize.

It was third time lucky for the five-year-old bay gelding, a half-brother of stable companion Cracking Destiny, as that was his first win at Kelso after finishing second last time out there in January and sixth on his debut last April, his prior victories having been at Hexham in November and Perth last June.

Whillans is now lining up his third winner in the space of 11 days, following first-place finishes for Bella Bluesky at Wolverhampton and Southwell, for a return to Kelso to contest the £120,000 Morebattle Hurdle on Saturday, March 2.

“He’s entered in the Morebattle Hurdle and that is an option if he can get in the final line-up because it is a fiercely competitive and valuable race,” he said.

“We bought him because he was closely related to Destiny and if he turns out to be half as good, he’ll be doing all right.”

Whillans was one of two Borders trainers among the day’s winners, with Kelso’s Sandy Thomson and his jockey son-in-law Ryan Mania racking up first-place finishes at the double with Empire Steel and Dedicated Hero.

2/1 favourite Empire Steel finished the day’s feature race, the two-mile-five-furlong Racing’s Best Ratings with Timeform Handicap Chase at 3.25pm, four lengths ahead of Cumbrian trainer Nicky Richards’ Nell’s Son, with Danny McMenamin in the saddle, to land its £11,707 top prize.

That was the ten-year-old grey gelding’s first win since one last March, also at Kelso and with Mania riding, and sixth all told.

Like Cracking Rhapsody, Empire Steel, returning after wind surgery, might be on his way back to Kelso shortly ahead of a crack at the Aintree Grand National in April.

“We also had him in the Grand National trial at Haydock but this suited better and it’s right on our doorstep,” said Thomson.

“All being well, after this he could go to Cheltenham or come back to Kelso for another run to put him spot on for the National.”

6/4 favourite Dedicated Hero’s win was in the concluding 5.02pm Hello My Darling Remembering Andrew Quigley Open Maiden National Hunt Flat Race for a top prize of £2,723, beating Whillans’ Malicash, ridden by Craig Nichol, by two lengths.

That was the five-year-old bay gelding’s first win at only the second time of asking, his only prior outing have yielded a third place at Carlisle in October.

Friday’s other winners were Nab Wood, trained by Richards and with Sean Quinlan riding, in the opening 1.55pm Full Circle Series at Punchestown Festival Handicap Hurdle; Alnilam for Wiltshire trainer Anthony Charlton and jockey Bradley Harris in the 2.25pm Johnston Smillie Novices’ Hurdle; Special Rate for North Yorkshire handler Philip Kirby and rider Ross Chapman in the 4pm Remembering Michael Wares Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase; and Escapeandevade for Langholm’s James Ewart, with Hughes in the saddle, in the 4.32pm Royal Caledonian Hunt Handicap Chase.

Kelso’s next meeting is its 34th annual Morebattle Hurdle Day at the start of next month.

Gates open at 11.30am and the day’s first race is off at 1.42pm.

Tickets cost £22 in advance or £26 on the day. For details, go to https://kelso-races.co.uk/