Winning double for North Yorkshire racehorse trainer Micky Hammond at Kelso

The former, ridden by Josh Thompson, claimed first place in the 2.55pm Every Race Live On Racing TV Handicap Hurdle over two miles and six furlongs.

That win at 3-1, by over four lengths from Nathan Moscrop on 6-5 favourite Kilmore Rock, trained by Northumberland’s Sue Corbett, yielded a top prize of £6,337.

It was the seven-year-old bay gelding’s first win for over three years and only his second ever, his last having been in France back in April 2023, though he did manage second places at Kelso in April and March and a third at Ayr in February.

The latter, with Alice Stevens as jockey, finished almost two lengths clear of Charlie Maggs on Tanking Along, trained by North Yorkshire’s Patrick Neville, in the 4.32pm Bedmax Handicap Chase, also at 3-1.

First place in that two-mile-one-furlong race earned a payout of £7,922.

That was the eight-year-old bay gelding’s third win on the spin following others at Market Rasen in Lincolnshire in April and Wetherby in West Yorkshire in March, both also with Stevens riding, and first ever at Kelso.

“Jericoacoara was bought from France from the same source that has given us a few good horses,” said Middleham’s Hammond, 64.

“He will probably have a break now and then come back to go over fences again.”

Stevens, 27, was delighted to win at Kelso for the first time after drawing a blank on 13 previous visits, saying of her mount: “He has found a new level of form since going over fences and he has been brilliant for me.

“He stays further than this but it helped that the race was run at such a good gallop.”

Judge Nick Hargreave called a dead heat in the division-two 2,000 Sacks of Carrots Handicap Hurdle at 4pm as he was unable to separate 2-1 favourite Thorneylands and Maillot Blanc with a first prize of £4,225 at stake.

The former was ridden by Danny McMenamin for Cumbrian trainer Nicky Richards and the latter, sent off at 3-1, by Dominic Hislop for Fife’s Nick Alexander.

The two bay geldings, the former six and the latter nine, crossed the finishing line of that near-two-mile-five-furlong race nearly two lengths in front of Gregor Walkingshaw on Helsgetaway, trained in Perth and Kinross by Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore.

That was Thorneylands’ first win at the fifth time of asking and Maillot Blanc’s third but first at Kelso.

That shared success was Richards’ second of the day, the 70-year-old also having come up trumps in the division-one 2,000 Sacks of Carrots Handicap Hurdle over the same distance 35 minutes earlier with Abbey Scope, ridden by McMenamin, at 3-1.

The six-year-old bay gelding finished four lengths clear of Charlie Maggs on Nitty Gritty, trained by Mark Walford in North Yorkshire, to claim his second win, its predecessor also having been at the Borders track with McMenamin in the saddle just over a year ago, to earn a £4,225 payout.

Victory in the first race of the day, the 1.55pm Strawmax Novices’ Hurdle over two miles and almost five furlongs, and a prize of £5,446 went to Kashchei at 4-1, with Finn Brickley riding for Cian Collins’ County Meath yard.

The six-year-old bay gelding was one of only two horses to go the distance, with Charlie Maggs on Rupert the Prince following 60 lengths behind and 8-11 favourite Dartmouth Castle unseating rider Theo Gillard. Next up, half an hour later, was the Racing TV Profits Returned to Racing Handicap Chase over two miles and seven furlongs and it was won by Jack Power on 5-6 favourite Walk On Quest, trained by Russell and Scudamore.

Settle Down Jill won the meeting’s penultimate race, the 5.02pm Aidan and Margaret McDonnell’s Golden Anniversary Open Hunters’ Chase over two miles and seven furlongs, for Dumfries and Galloway trainer Norman Sanderson at 10-1, with Paddy Barlow as jockey, earning £3,388.

First place in the meeting’s finale half an hour later, the two-mile Racing TV Open Maiden National Hunt Flat Race, went to Datstheholyallofit at 9-1, with Maggs in the saddle for Neville, landing a prize of £2,723.

The closest any of the four Borders trainers to throw their hats into the ring got to victory were fourth places for Kelso’s Sandy Thomson, Hawick’s Ewan Whillans and Bonchester Bridge’s Lucy Brown with Rememberthename, Mortgage Man and Brandy McQueen respectively in the third, last and seventh of the day’s eight races, ridden by McMenamin, Peter Kavanagh and Brown herself.

Selkirk’s Stuart Coltherd was hoping for a second win at Kelso for 9-4 favourite Flash du Pistolet – and first victory anywhere for the eight-year-old bay gelding since that one last March with Ross Chapman in the saddle – in the day’s sixth race, with Sean Quinlan riding, but had to make do with fifth place.

Kelso’s next meeting is its annual ladies’ day on Sunday, May 24.

Gates open at noon and the first race will be off at 2.27pm.

Tickets cost £35 in advance or £40 on the day. For details, go to https://kelso-races.co.uk/events/ladies-day/