Camptown trainer Gary Rutherford is Borders’ only success story at Kelso Racecourse’s latest family day

4-11 favourite Conman John, a five-year-old brown gelding ridden Derek Fox, got the pair off to a winning start in the meeting’s first race, the 1.58pm Welcome to Family Day Novices’ Hurdle over two miles and almost five furlongs, beating stablemate Timefortom, with Alan Doyle as jockey, by a shoulder to land a top prize of £4,901.

Scudamore said: “He was entitled to be a little bit novicey but it’s a long season and that’s a good start.

“He’ll come on for the run and his future is as a chaser and over further.”

Caballo de Guerra led home a clean sweep of top-three places for their Milnathort yard, with Jack Power riding, in the two-mile Justin and Susan Greig Novices’ Hurdle at 13-2 at 3.13pm, also earning £4,901.

The four-year-old brown gelding finished over six lengths ahead of Gregor Walkingshaw on Kool Raoul, with Fox third on 3-1 favourite Triple Crown Ted.

Camptown trainer Gary Rutherford was the Borders’ only success story on home turf with Looking Splendid at 10-3 in the last race of the day, the 4.53pm Join Racing TV Now Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle over two miles and nearly five furlongs.

Ridden by Dylan Johnston, that was the seven-year-old bay gelding’s first win in 15 races since 2022, earning £3,697.

Sunday’s feature race, the 4.18pm NSPCC School Service Handicap Chase over two miles and a furlong, was won by Shakeyatailfeather at 8-1, with Tristan Durrell riding the six-year-old bay mare for Warwickshire trainer Dan Skelton, landing prize money of £20,812.

That was Durrell’s first win at the Borders track and he said: “It’s only my seventh ride here, so I’m not here that often.

“She handled the conditions very well and she’s shown decent form on her last few runs in the spring and summer.”

Russell and Scudamore’s Traprain Law was runner-up seven lengths behind, with Patrick Wadge in the saddle.

Victory in the day’s two other races, the 2.33pm Simpsons Malt Handicap Hurdle over two miles and almost five furlongs and 3.43pm Bettingsites.co.uk Handicap Chase over three miles and two furlongs, went to 7-4 favourite the Navigator and Ashtown Lad at 5-1.

Both were ridden by Charlie Maggs, the former for Cumbrian trainer Dianne Sayer and the latter for North Yorkshire’s David O’Meara, earning top prizes of £4,753 and £5,281.

The Navigator’s win was the ten-year-old grey gelding’s second at Kelso in the space of less than three weeks and fourth there all together, September’s with Maggs riding and the two before, last October and in 2022, with Danny McMenamin in the saddle.

Kelso’s third meeting of the new season is its 2025 Edinburgh Gin Chase Day on Saturday, October 25.

Gates open at 11.30am and the day’s first race is off at 1:35pm. Tickets cost £24 in advance or £30 on the day. For details, go to https://kelso-races.co.uk/events/edinburgh-gin-chase-day-2025/