Hat-trick of wins for brothers Dan and Harry Skelton at Kelso Racecourse’s last meeting of 2024

​The English pair scored first-place finishes at the Borders track with Ace of Spades, Beat Box and Komedy Kicks in the first, fourth and fifth races of the day respectively – the 12.18pm Visit Kelso in 2025 Novices’ Hurdle, 2.03pm Children’s Hospices Across Scotland Handicap Chase and 2.38pm RacingTV.com/Sale Mares’ Handicap Hurdle.

8/15 favourite Ace of Spades finished over six lengths clear of Herefordshire trainer Clive Boultbee-Brooks’ Far From Over, ridden by Richard Patrick, in the two-mile-six-furlong opener to claim its top prize of £4,357.

11/4 second-favourite Beat Box recorded a winning margin more than twice as big, of 16 lengths, over two miles and a furlong three races later, with Langholm trainer James Ewart and jockey Brian Hughes’ Escapeandevade second and Kelso permit-holder Sandy Thomson’s Carcaci Castle, with his son-in-law Ryan Mania riding, third.

Komedy Kicks, also sent off at 11/4 but as favourite, ended up almost three lengths clear of Perth and Kinross trainer Lucinda Russell’s She’s Not Joeking, with Conner McCann in the saddle, after two miles and two furlongs to land a payout of £4,753. “The horses are in great form at the moment and it’s a big effort from all the team,” said the elder Skelton.

“We set off at 5am this morning and it’s a long way to come but this makes it all worthwhile.

“Ace of Spades was the main one and the others helped to keep him him company. He stayed on really well and saw out the longer trip nicely.”

The 2.03pm chase won by Beat Box was one of two races offering a top prize of £7,922, the other being the two-mile-six-furlong Slainte Mhath Handicap Hurdle at 12.53pm, and victory in that one went to Idem for Russell and jockey Patrick Wadge at 12/1.

Idem – a winner at Kelso twice previously with Wadge riding, in September 2023 and May this year – crossed the line a length and a quarter ahead of Thomson and Mania’s I Am Max.

The only Borders trainer to win on Sunday was Denholm’s Alison Hamilton with Skyhill, owned by her husband Gavin and ridden by Heidi Palin, in the concluding 3.13pm AJA Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase over three miles and two furlongs, landing its top prize of £4,967.

That win, at 10/1, 14 lengths in front of Russell and rider Nick Orpwood’s Haute Estime, was the 11-year-old bay gelding’s third at Kelso, after prior successes in December 2019 and January 2020 with Jamie Hamilton in the saddle, and tenth all together.

Hawick jockey Craig Nichol was also among the day’s winners, guiding 7/2 joint-favourite Captain Butler to a first-place finish for Northumbrian trainer Pauline Robson in the two-mile Half-Price Racing TV at RacingTV.com/Sale Maiden Hurdle at 1.28pm to pick up prize money of £4,225.

That made it two out of two for the six-year-old bay gelding after a winning debut at Newcastle in May with Hughes riding.

Gloucestershire trainer Martin Keighley’s Ballyvango was second, with Daire James as jockey, over seven lengths behind.

Kelso’s next meeting is on Sunday, January 12. Tickets cost from £15 in advance and £23 on the day. For details, go to https://kelso-races.co.uk/