Winning double for Hawick racehorse trainer Ewan Whillans at Kelso

The nine-year-old bay gelding, a 4/1 chance, was one of only two finishers after making all the running to beat Sword of Fate, trained by North Ayrshire’s Leonard Kerr, by 18 lengths in the Derrick John Allison Memorial Handicap Chase.

Two of the other three horses vying for the 3.20pm race’s top prize of £4,684 unseated their riders and the third, 9/4 favourite Pitempton Power, trained at Hawick’s Newmill Stables by Ewan Whillans and ridden by Jedburgh’s Callum Bewley, fell.

“Dad had only had three runners here before today and this was my first ride,” Miss Williams said.

“We came up after Leicester on Wednesday night so I had time to have a good look around and it’s a lovely place.

“This horse is a pretty straightforward ride and I just let him get on with things.”

West Lothian owner Elizabeth Ferguson saw her colours carried to success by 5/2 joint favourite Kaizer, a seven-year-old chestnut gelding named after her teenage grandson Kai, in the 1.50pm Racing to Work Handicap Hurdle, securing its £7,788 top prize.

That was half of a quickfire winning double for trainer Whillans and Hawick jockey Craig Nichol as 9/4 favourite Bella Bluesky, part-owned by the former’s dad Alistair, finished first in the following Try Racing TV for Free Now Novices’ Hurdle at 2.20pm, claiming its £4,901 prize. That was the a six-year-old brown mare’s second career win following a first place at Musselburgh last year.

Second and third places in the opening race also went to Borders-trained horses. Joint favourite Dequall, trained in Selkirk by Stuart Coltherd and ridden by Peter Kavanagh, was runner-up to Kaizer and Milvale, trained near Kelso by Sandy Thomson and with Edward Austin in the saddle, was third.

Coltherd also finished runner-up in the 2.20pm race with 12/1 chance Augharue, ridden by his son Sam.

Whillans’ successes at Kelso made it three wins in as many days as Tartan Cookie was first past the post south of the border in the 4pm Quinnbet.com Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at Newcastle two days previously.

Fife trainer Nick Alexander’s Upandatit won the 2.50pm Start Your RacingTV Free Trial Now Novices’ Handicap Chase, crossing the line ahead of Morningside, trained by Yetholm’s Sandy Forster and with Austin riding.

North Yorkshire trainer Justin Landy’s Lalochezia, with Alain Cawley in the saddle, won the 3.50pm Jumping For Joy With Free Racing TV Maiden Hurdle, with Firth of Forth, ridden by Nichol for Northumbrian trainer Rose Dobbin, second.

The last race of the day, the 4.20pm William Hill Leading Racecourse Bookmaker Handicap Hurdle, and its £10,406 top prize were won by 14/1 outsider Saint D’Oroux, ridden by James Bowen and trained in Northern Ireland by Stuart Crawford.

Kelso’s next meeting is on Friday, February 18, followed by the Bet365 Morebattle Hurdle on Saturday, March 5. For details, go to https://www.kelso-races.co.uk/