Previous winners Big River and Stainsby Girl returning to Kelso Racecourse on Sunday in pursuit of further success

Nine-year-old chestnut mare Stainsby Girl, now with Fife handler Nick Alexander, is among the entries for the two-mile Kelso Betting Ring Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle at 2.30pm, and 13-year-old bay gelding Big River, trained by Lucinda Russell in Perth and Kinross, is bidding to become the winningmost horse in the course's history in the Chairman’s Cup Handicap Chase over two miles and seven furlongs at 3pm.

A year ago, while trained in Hawick by Donald Whillans, Stainsby Girl, with Craig Nichol riding, won by a length and three-quarters in the equivalent race, taking its £7,788 top prize.

She has since changed hands for £22,000, now being owned by Alexander’s family.

Stainsby Girl is the top-rated entry, on a British Horseracing Authority mark of 129, among a prospective field of 11 for her race, with other possibles including Langholm trainer James Ewart’s recent Ayr winner Beat Box and Enemy Coast Ahead, pencilled in by Lindean’s Katie Scott.

Big River, owned by Borderer Debs Thomson, was a six-length winner that same afternoon, with Derek Fox as jockey, and has, in the interim, dropped 3lb below that winning rating.

With eight course wins to his name, including the 2021 Borders National, he’s currently the joint most successful horse ever at Kelso along with Whaat Fettle and Davy Blake.

The top-rated entry, on 141, for his race is Elvis Mail, trained by Alexander, and Cumbrian Nicky Richards’ Glittering Love will be trying to go one better after just being pipped by a head at Kelso’s final fixture of 2022.

Fellow Cumbrian Lizzie Quinlan, having only taken her training licence in the autumn, has booked husband Sean to ride Thatsy, returning from a breathing operation, in the Racing TV Handicap Chase at 1.30pm, a qualifier for the Go North Monet’s Garden Series.

Borders trainers Stuart Coltherd and Jackie Stephen also have entries lined up for that race, Deep Charm and Sputnik respectively.

Selkirk’s Coltherd and Lilliesleaf’s Stephen also have potential runners pencilled in for the 1pm VisitKelso.com Handicap Hurdle, namely Arcandy and Dunnottar Castle, as do Kelso’s Sandy Thomson, with Faithfulflyer and Hattons Gardens; Lindean’s katie Scott, with My Macho Man, Halcyon Dreams and Getaway Gerry; and Yetholm’s Sandy Forster, with Lastin’ Memories.

Forster has put Pipers Cross’s name down for the 2pm William Hill Bookmakers’ Novice Hurdle too, with potential opposition including Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford’s Midnight Fiddler and Puddledub I Froget.

She’s also considering having a crack at the 3.30pm Kelso Annual Members Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Chase with Morningside, possibly facing Coltherd’s To the Limit and Stephen’s Sputnik.

Advance tickets cost £16 and admission on the day is £20. For details, go to www.kelso-races.co.uk

Gates open at 10.30am, with the first of the day’s seven races due off at 12.30pm and the last at 3.30pm.