Flower power earns fifth Borders national win for Kelso racehorse trainer Sandy Thomson

The 10/3 favourite, with Danny McMenamin as jockey, finished six lengths clear of Clonguile Way, trained by County Meath’s John McConnell and ridden by Sean Bowen in the four-mile feature race, billed as the 125 Years of Bruce Farms Scottish Borders National.

That £26,468 win for Flower of Scotland, a seven-year-old grey mare owned by East Lothian’s Ray Green, was her first for just short of a year, her last having been at Kelso too, ridden by Thomson’s son-in-law Ryan Mania, over two miles and four furlongs, though she’d managed four top-four finishes since.

Thomson said: “This longer trip and soft ground is just what she needs, and I’d say something like the Eider Chase at Newcastle in February could be next for her, providing the ground is suitable.

“I’m really pleased for Ray and all our own team at home as they put so much hard work into it.”

Thomson’s other entries for the 1.05pm race, the Ferry Master, with Mania riding, and Donna’s Delight, ridden by Sean Quinlan, were among five horses pulled up, along with Lucinda Russell’s Big River and Buddha Scheme and George Bewley’s Breaking the Ice.

Flower of Scotland was one of two winners for Thomson’s Lambden stables, between Kelso and Greenlaw, on Sunday, the other being the Jamie Hamilton-ridden Carcaci Castle in the opening Visit Kelso Christmas Events National Hunt Maiden Hurdle at 11.35am.

The 5/1 shot, a six-year-old bay gelding, crossed the line three-quarters of a length ahead of Jem in Em, trained by Russell in Perth and Kinross and ridden by Derek Fox, to take the opener’s £4,901 top prize.

Thomson’s previous Borders national winners, both doubling up, were Neptune Equester in 2014 and 2015 and Harry the Viking in 2016 and 2018.

Green, like Thomson, had wins at the double to celebrate at the weekend as Russell’s Traprain Law, carrying his colours, was ridden to victory at 13/2 by Patrick Wadge in the concluding Racing TV Conditional Jockeys’ Training Series Handicap Hurdle at 3.15pm, taking its £4,520 top prize.

Rewired, trained in Worcestershire by Richard Newland and ridden by Luke Scott, was runner-up in that race and Camptown training partnership Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford’s Dancewiththewind, with Dylan Johnston in the saddle, was third.

Fife trainer Nick Alexander’s Ned Tanner, with Quinlan riding, won the 1.35pm Paris Pike Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase’s £9,040 top prize.

“In the long term, he could be the type for a crack at the Borders national but we’ll look at coming back here for another novices’ handicap,” said Alexander.

Git Maker was runner-up in that race for Berkshire trainer Jamie Snowden and jockey Gavin Sheehan, with Grand Voyage, trained in Selkirk by Stuart Coltherd and ridden by his son Sam third, and Leostar fourth for Hawick trainer Ewan Whillans and jockey Craig Nichol.

Whillans won the 12.35pm Kelso Christmas Gift Voucher Handicap Chase at 14/1 with Hold the Note, an eight-year-old bay gelding ridden by Quinlan, taking its £4,684 first prize.

Just Don’t Know finished runner-up in that one for Spittal-on-Rule trainer Paul Robson, with Callum Bewley riding.

Kelso’s next meeting is on Thursday, December 29, with seven races lined up, starting at 11.53am and wrapping up at 3.20pm.