Kelso’s Festive Meeting rounds off racing in 2020

Nick Alexander is looking forward to being kept busy over Christmas.

The Kinneston trainer, who recently recorded a career first Grade 2 success with stable star Lake View Lad, said: “I think we will have several runners, as we always like to support Kelso.

“The course runs a race in memory of my late father and we have a managed to win it twice, once with a horse ridden by my daughter Lucy, which was really nice.

“Last year, we won the featured 2m 1f chase on the same day with Clan Legend, a horse we bred ourselves, but he went up a few pounds for winning at Aintree and his new rating of 135 is too high to get in to defend his title.

“I’m hoping to run Gipsy Lee Rose in the first race, the Children’s Immunology Trust Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase over 2m 6f. She is a mare we like and three of her four runs over fences have been at Kelso, including a very good second over nearly three miles earlier this month.

Alexander added: “Calivigny is another possibility and he’s been great form for my amateur rider son Kit. He’s won his last two races, a hurdle and a chase at Ayr, and he will be entered in the final race, the AJA Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase.”

Nicky Richards, based at Greystoke, near Penrith, also expects to have a runner or two from his Cumbrian stables.

He said: “Court Dreaming could go for the first race on the card and he has already won for us this season over three miles. The only previous time he’s been to Kelso was when he won over hurdles there a couple of years ago.

“Chapel Stile is also likely to go up there, in his case for the Racing TV Handicap Hurdle over 2m 6f. He was a close runner-up over the same trip at Kelso three years ago and he’s been third at the track over two and a half miles.”

The corresponding Kelso meeting 12 months ago saw South Glamorgan trainer Sam Thomas record his first course winners, courtesy of a double supplied by Mario De Pail and Iwilldoit.

Sam is a former leading jump jockey and his big wins in the saddle include the 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup on the mighty Denman.

Commenting on 2020, a year in which the racecourse was forced to abandon 40 per cent of its fixtures, managing director Jonathan Garratt said: “While it has been difficult for all businesses in all sectors, we have been determined to maintain as much activity as possible, because we know how vital it is to our local supply chain and the rural economy.

“We remain optimistic we will be able to get some spectators back in the spring, even if the number is very restricted at first. We will do all we can to keep the ball rolling while complying with sensible public health protocols.”