Selkirk trainer Stuart Coltherd is Borders’ only winner at Kelso Racecourse’s latest meeting

Gloucestershire trainer Fergal O’Brien’s five-year-old bay mare, also making her first appearance at the Borders course, finished eight lengths clear of Sunset Hill, trained by Sue Corbett in Northumberland and ridden by Nathan Moscrop, in the two-mile Ladbrokes Herring Queen Series Final Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at 3pm.

Earning a top prize of £51,440, that was a third win in her last four races for Leloopa, owned by the Paddy Brennan Racing Syndicate, the prior two having been at Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire in November with Broughton in the saddle and Hereford in October with Jonathan Burke riding.

“That was absolutely tremendous,” said Broughton, 27, afterwards. “I loved it and it’s the biggest win of my career.

“I won the Highland National at Perth in 2018 but this is different level and she was brilliant out there.”

Leloopa’s first place formed half of a 229/1 double for Limerick-born O’Brien, 52, as Liam Harrison rode Is This for Real to victory over two miles in the concluding 4.45pm Racing Post Go North Jodami Series Final Open National Hunt Flat Race at 9/1, landing prize money of £15,609.

Perth and Kinross trainer Lucinda Russell was also a winner at the double, with 15/8 joint favourite Cadell and 12/1 chance Starlyte.

The former won the opening 1.15pm Ladbrokes Best Odds Guaranteed on Racing Handicap Chase over three miles and two furlongs, with Alan Doyle riding, finishing half a length clear of another of Russell’s horses, Your Own Story, ridden by Patrick Wadge, to pick up prize money of £18,210.

The latter, an eight-year-old bay mare, was first past the post in the 2.25pm Ladbrokes Go North Cab on Target Handicap Hurdle over almost two miles and five furlongs, with Wadge riding, to take a top prize of £15,609.

Bottom-weight Starlyte – a winner for the third time at Kelso following prior first places there last November with Wadge as jockey and in May 2021 with Ian Williams riding – was among a field of 16, nine of them going the distance, including Kelso trainer Sandy Thomson’s I Am Max, finishing third with Ryan Mania in the saddle.

The latter’s win saw Russell hit the century-and-a-half mark at the Borders track and the 58-year-old said: “It’s my 150th win at Kelso and I’ve always loved the place.

“I had my first hunter-chase winner here and it’s just a fantastic track.

“Jump-racing is always about heart and they always put their heart into looking after the ground, the horses and the people.”

Selkirk trainer Stuart Coltherd was the Borders’ only winner, taking first place in the 3.35pm Ladbrokes Boost Your Bet Builder Handicap Chase with 8/13 favourite Flash du Pistolet, ridden by Ross Chapman, to secure prize money of £8,714.

Crossing the line nine lengths ahead of Danny McMenamin on Langholm trainer James Ewart’s Escapeandevade, that was the seven-year-old bay gelding’s second win on the bounce and all together, following a first-placed finish at Newcastle at the start of the month with Sam Coltherd riding, and his father is confident there’ll be further victories to follow, saying: “There’s still a load of room for improvement there.

“Mentally and everything, he’s just improving the whole time and there’s a lot of maturing still to come, so hopefully there’s still a wee bit left in the tank.”

Yetholm trainer Sandy Forster’s Duty Calls was fifth in that two-mile-one-furlong race, with Lewis Stones as jockey, and Thomson and Mania’s Gold des Bois was last of five finishers.

The day’s other winners were both ridden by Brian Hughes – Lavida Adiva for North Yorkshire trainer Ruth Jefferson in the 1.50pm Ladbrokes Big Value You Can Bet On Mares’ Hurdle over three miles, earning £23,092, and Malicash for Cheshire’s Donald McCain Jnr in the 4.10pm Ladbrokes Get Rewarded with Ladbucks Novices’ Hurdle over almost two miles and five furlongs for a prize of £8,714.

Kelso’s next meeting is its Buccleuch Cup day on Monday, April 7. Tickets cost from £15 in advance and £23 on the day. For details, go to https://kelso-races.co.uk/events/buccleuch-cup-day-2025/