Kelso racehorse trainer Sandy Thomson misses out on £100,000 bonus at Cheltenham Festival

Ryan Mania on Morebattle Hurdle winner Benson, trained by Sandy Thomson, at Kelso earlier this month (Pic: Alan Raeburn/Kelso Races)

Borders racehorse trainer Sandy Thomson missed out on an extra £150,000-plus in prize money at England’s Cheltenham Festival yesterday, March 15, after Benson failed to finish this year’s Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle.

Winning 2023’s Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso earlier this month had put the eight-year-old bay gelding in contention for a £100,000 bonus if he went on to win any race at the Gloucestershire meeting but the 11/1 shot was pulled up by jockey Ryan Mania in yesterday’s 2.50pm feature race over two miles and five furlongs, won by Langer Dan, trained in Warwickshire by Dan Skelton and ridden by his brother Harry, at 9/1.

Thomson, based at Lambden, near Kelso, wasn’t too put out at missing out on that six-figure bonus and the cup’s £56,270 top prize, however, saying that becoming the Morebattle Hurdle’s first Scottish winner for 16 years, taking its £51,440 top prize, was achievement enough for one month for the Jimmy Fyffe and Scott Townshend-owned horse.

“He hated the ground and hated the hurly-burly but he’s home safe and sound and we’re all still very proud of him,” he said. “He did, after all, win the prestigious Morebattle Hurdle just 11 days ago at Kelso Racecourse.

Edward Austin riding Brandy McQueen to victory for Camptown training partnership Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford at Musselburgh on New Year's Day 2023 (Pic: Alan Raeburn)

“It was just brilliant to have a runner at the Cheltenham Festival.”

Fellow Borders handlers Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford are still in with a chance of a win at the festival, though, as they’ve got Camptown-trained Brandy McQueen lined up to vie for the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Chase’s top prize of £56,270 at 2.10pm today, March 16, with Edward Austin riding.

Their six-year-old bay gelding has won two of his last three starts, at Musselburgh in January and February, but had to settle for seventh place at Merseyside’s Haydock Park later in February, with Austin in the saddle for all three.