Veteran racehorse Big River seeking record-breaking ninth win at Kelso

The 12-year-old bay gelding, owned by Borderer Debs Thomson and trained by Lucinda Russell in Perth and Kinross, already has eight wins at Kelso to his name, a record he holds jointly with Whaat Fettle and Davy Blake, but hopes are high that he can add a ninth to make that claim to fame his own.

Big River’s last win at Kelso was over four miles in last December’s Borders National and Thomson and Russell are hoping for further success, with Derek Fox riding, in this year’s £50,000 follow-up, being run at 1.05pm on Sunday.

Russell said: “Despite being well into the veteran stage of his career, he appeared as good as ever last season.

“Gaining the record outright is his main aim of the campaign, along with defending his crown in the Borders National.”

Thomson, formerly of Cessford, near Morebattle, but now living in East Lothian, added: “He’s 12-years-old and he’s carrying top weight so it’ll be a tough ask for him but he loves Kelso, just loves it, and he is a stayer.

“I wouldn’t rule him out but it is a very big ask for him to go out and win it for the second time in a row.

“He’s getting on – he’s a veteran now – and, to be honest, he owes us absolutely nothing. He’s given us great fun and he’s just a special horse.

“He’s in the prime of his life actually and he’s in cracking form.”

Big River’s last run-out at Kelso was a seventh-placed finish in October’s Edinburgh Gin Chase over three miles and two furlongs but Thomson, a joint winner with Belinda McClung of the 2017 Grand National at Aintree with One for Arthur, is confident the extra distance on offer this Sunday will suit him better.

Also among the 15 entries vying for the regional national’s £26,468 top prize is Breaking the Ice, trained in Cumbria by George Bewley.

“It’s a race that we have targeted with him as he won three chases in a row at Kelso last year, including one on this same card,” said Bewley.

Kelso trainer Sandy Thomson has three entries pencilled in for the 1.05pm race, billed as the 125 Years of Bruce Farms Scottish Borders National Handicap Chase this time round, including the Ferry Master, a fourth-place finisher in the 2021 Scottish Grand National, to be ridden by his son-in-law Ryan Mania.

His other potential runners are Flower of Scotland, carrying the colours of 2020 Borders National-winning owner Ray Green and with Danny McMenamin in the saddle, and Donna’s delight, with Sean Quinlan riding.

The second top-rated entry for the 1.05pm race is Cloth Cap. Trained by Jonjo O’Neill in Gloucestershire and carrying the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings, the ten-year-old bay gelding was sent off as favourite for the 2021 Grand National after winning Kelso’s Bet365 Premier Chase five weeks earlier but was pulled up.

Grand Voyage, trained in Selkirk by Stuart Coltherd, and with his son Sam riding, is an intended runner for the 1.35pm Paris Pike Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

Leostar, trained in Hawick by Ewan Whillans and with Craig Nichol as jockey, is a provisional entry for both that race and the national.

The Coltherds also have Deep Charm lined up for the 12.35pm Kelso Christmas Gift Voucher Handicap Chase and might well be up against Spittal-on-Rule trainer Paul Robson’s Just Don’t Know, to be ridden by Callum Bewley.

The Selkirk pair also fancy a go at the 2.05pm EBF Mares National Hunt Novices’ Hurdle, having provisionally put both Arcandy and Ring Pretender’s names down.

Coltherd Jnr is lined up to ride Ginger Point for Lindean handler Katie Scott in the 2.40pm River Tweed Novices’ Handicap Hurdle and could be up against Thomson and Mania’s Faithfulflyer.

Scott’s also pencilled in for a crack at the concluding 3.15pm Racing TV Conditional Jockeys’ Training Series Handicap with Evita du Mesnil, to be ridden by Lewis Dobb.

Gates open at 10am, with the day’s first race due off at 12.15pm.

Advance tickets are £21, with admission on the day costing £25. For details, go to https://www.kelso-races.co.uk/