Trainer Katie Scott and jockey Ryan Mania are Borders’ only winners at Kelso’s first meeting of new jumps racing season

Scott followed up that fifth win in eight outings for Naana’s Shadow in Paris at 8-1 on Sunday, September 13, with a third in four months – but first for her Lindean stables – for Dream’s Ka at odds over four times longer.

The four-year-old bay gelding, ridden by Kelso jockey Ryan Mania, finished last Wednesday’s 5.25pm Paul Ferguson’s Jumpers to Follow Handicap Hurdle four lengths in front of Freddie Keighley on Continuance, trained in Gloucestershire by his dad Martin to land a payout of £7,804.

That latest first-placed finish at 33-1, over two miles and almost five furlongs, followed others at Uttoxeter in Staffordshire in June and Bangor-on-Dee in Wales in May, both with Harry Skelton as jockey.

It was Scott’s first win over jumps for nearly eight years, her last having been with Stoney Rover at Hexham in Northumberland back in November 2018, with Stephen Mulqueen in the saddle.

“It was his first run for us, so a lot of the work had been done beforehand with Dan Skelton, his previous trainer,” said Scott.

“We haven’t had him too long and he looks as if he will be a good, fun horse for his owners.”

The Keighleys might have lost out in that third race of six making up Kelso’s first card of the new season but they won an hour later with Duke of Luckley at 13-8 in the meeting’s feature race, the £15,000 In Memory of Rossie Maitland-Carew Handicap Chase over two miles and a furlong.

Their nine-year-old bay gelding beat evens favourite Conquer the Breeze, ridden by Mania for Northumberland’s Adam Nicol, by almost three lengths to earn a £7,922 payout.

“He’s been in good form and that was a very tough and brave performance out there tonight,” said Keighley senior.

“It’s a long old way to come but it’s well worth it when you win a nice prize like this.”

The first race of the season-opening meeting, the 4.25pm Racing TV Proudly Supports Teenage Cancer Trust Handicap Hurdle, was won by Toby Wynne on Cawthorne Cracker, trained by Cheshire’s Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, at 5-2, earning £4,225.

“He’s a horse that has always had plenty of ability and he travelled well,” said Wynne after winning that two-mile-two furlong race by a neck.

First place in race number two, the 4.55pm Border Carers Centre Novices’ Hurdle over two miles and nearly five furlongs, went to Sean Bowen on Handmedownastar, trained at Nick Scholfield’s West Berkshire yard, at 7-4, securing a prize of £5,446.

Shane Fenelon rode 11-8 favourite Fairlawn Skipper to victory in the day’s fourth race, the 5.55pm Weatherbys Racing Bank Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Chase over two miles and five furlongs, for Welsh trainer Mickey Bowen, collecting £5,281 in prize money.

Wrapping up proceedings was the two-mile Join Racing TV for Free Now Open National Hunt Flat Race at 6.55pm and it was won by Brian Hughes on Going On at 5-2 for Patrick Neville’s North Yorkshire stables.

Next up at Kelso is a family fun raceday on Sunday, October 4. Gates open at 11.30am and the first of six races is off at 1.45pm. Tickets cost £21 in advance or £26 on the day. For details, go to https://kelso-races.co.uk/fixtures/

See also …

https://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/sport/other-sport/two-grade-three-heritage-handicap-hurdles-added-to-kelso-racecourses-calendar-for-current-jumps-season-9058267