Hawick’s Paul Robson gets off to winning start as racehorse trainer at Kelso

Flamboyant Joyaux, accompanied by trainer Paul Robson, stable lass Imogen Johnson-Jones and owner Adam Robson (Pic: Bill McBurnie)

The six-year-old bay gelding, a 6-4 favourite owned by Robson’s father Adam and ridden by Borders jockey Ryan Mania, beat five other horses to win the 4.30pm Racing Welfare Handicap Chase, the third race on the card, picking up the £3,867 top prize.

Along with his dad, Robson runs a funeral director’s business in Hawick but he is now looking to increase the number of jumps horses he has in training.

He said: “I’ve taken over the training side from my father and we have a secret weapon in a gallop which is over seven furlongs long.

Flamboyant Joyaux being ridden to victory by Ryan Mania (Pic: Bill McBurnie)

“Our main income comes from the funeral business, but racing is my passion and hopefully we can expand that side of things.”

Dianne Sayer enjoyed a one-two in the 5pm feature race at Kelso as well-backed Iolani, ridden by Conor O’Farrell, led home stable companion Frightened Rabbit to claim the £8,714 first prize.

The Cumbrian raiders were separated by two and a quarter lengths in the £16,000 Weatherbys Hamilton Handicap Hurdle.

Sayer, based just outside Penrith, said: “Iolani won today, but it could have different for Rabbit as he was badly hampered by a loose horse between the last two flights.

Ryan Mania riding Flamboyant Joyaux at Kelso yesterday (Pic: Bill McBurnie)

“It’s great that we have benefited from someone else’s misfortune but that’s racing for you, and it’s nice to do so well in a class-two race.”

Due to two horses slipping up, both being unharmed, one race was delayed by almost 35 minutes while sanding of the track took place.

Kelso’s next race meeting is a family fun day on Sunday, October 3.

Robson wasn’t the only Borders trainer celebrating yesterady either as Midnight Shuffle, a 9-4 second favourite trained by Selkirk’s Stuart Coltherd and ridden by his son Sam, finished first in the day’s final race, the 7pm See the Replay at Racing TV Mares' Open, picking up its £2,723 top prize.

Bella Gleneagles, a 22-1 outsider trained by Hawick’s Ewan Whillans and ridden by Carlisle’s Callum Bewley, finished fifth in that race.

Hawick jockey Craig Nichol finished fifth in the meeting’s first race, the 3.25pm William Hill Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle, in the saddle of Cryogenics, trained in Cheshire by Oliver Greenall.