Updated: Deja vu as Benson wins New Year’s Day race for Kelso trainer Sandy Thomson again 12 months on

Jockey Ryan Mania on Benson, trained by Kelso's Sandy Thomson, at Musselburgh Racecourse on New Year's Day (Photo: Alan Raeburn)

The 7/2 second favourite beat Holmes St Georges, trained in County Antrim by Stuart Crawford and ridden by Ben Bromley, by a length in that 1.10pm race over two miles and three furlongs to claim its £15,609 top prize.

That victory, his seventh overall, came 12 months after the nine-year-old bay gelding, owned by Dundee United director Jimmy Fyffe and pal Scott Townshend, notched up his first win for Thomson’s Lambden stables in the very same race, also with Mania in the saddle.

He’d only secured one first place in four attempts since, again with Mania riding, and that was in March’s Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso, taking its £51,440 top prize, and Thomson is now eyeing up a crack at 2024’s follow-up in the hope that history will repeat itself at the double.

Ryan Mania riding Benson to victory for Kelso trainer Sandy Thomson at Musselburgh Racecourse on New Year's Day (Photo: Alan Raeburn)

“When he’s in that sort of form, he is very hard to pass,” he said.

“I suppose you would have to be looking about trying to win the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso again now after this.”

Thomson also claimed a third place at the East Lothian meeting with 10/3 favourite Baron Briggs, ridden by Sean Quinlan, in the 2.55pm Tote.co.uk Gym Membership Renewed Novices’ Handicap Chase.

Diva’s Doyen, trained by Yetholm’s Sandy Forster and with Patrick Wadge riding, was runner-up in that two-mile-four-furlong race, won by Kinross trainer Lucinda Russell and jockey Derek Fox with Indian Louis at 5/1.

Hawick jockey and trainer Craig Nichol and Ewan Whillans with Scots Poet at Musselburgh Racecourse on New Year's Day (Photo: Alan Raeburn)

Thomson was one of two Borders trainers among the winners there, with Hawick’s Ewan Whillans also getting in on the act.

16/1 chance Scots Poet, with Hawick jockey Craig Nichol riding, won the next race of the day, the 1.45pm Tote.co.uk New Year New Me Handicap Hurdle over a mile and seven furlongs, by over three lengths from Ballygeary, trained by Cheshire’s Donald McCain and ridden by Peter Kavanagh.

That was the eight-year-old bay gelding’s first win since another in Musselburgh in May, also with Nichol in the saddle.

This year’s Bet365-sponsored Morebattle Hurdle Day at Kelso takes place on Saturday, March 2.