Kelso Saturday Preview - 06/03/21

Our selection in the Grade Two Premier Novices' Hurdle at the Scottish track on Saturday is the Dan Skelton trained My Drogo.

The six year old looks to be a superb recruit for the yard having made an impressive debut for the yard in a bumper back in October at Cheltenham when a good second.

Skelton decided to send him straight over hurdles and it was a superb decision with him scoring at the first time of asking at Newbury, seeing off the highly touted Flinteur Sacre.

My Drogo was then stepped up to the Grade Two Supreme Trial Novices' Hurdle at Ascot in December and in the two mile event that saw the likes of Llandinabo Lad and Soaring Glory, the gelding saw them off in fine style.

That was a very impressive run, with the third that day since going on to land the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury a few weeks ago, franking the form.

My Drogo has been taken out of Cheltenham and will instead head to Aintree in April and this looks a perfect prep run ahead of his bigger targets.

A Handicap Hurdle over 2m4f comes next and we are siding with the Paul Nichols trained Flash Collonges who looks one of the most progressive horses in the field.

The six year old started his career off this term in November, going straight over hurdles at Exeter and showing bundles of ability to get off the mark.

He then went to Doncaster where he unfortunately fell, but bounced back from that next time out when a nice second at Newbury in a Novices' Hurdle.

The fall was well and truly behind him last time out when getting back to winning ways at Wincanton on good to soft ground, bolting up by close to nine lengths.

He has only gone up 6lb by the handicapper which seems extremely fair and with that in mind can go well again.

One of the feature events of the day at Kelso is the Listed Premier Handicap Chase over three miles and it sees a superb field go to post.

Although the Ladbrokes trophy winner Cloth Cap and frequently consistent chaser Two For Gold make appeal, at the weights we can't look past Aso.

The Venetia Williams trained animal although not winning for two years has put up some superb performances in much better races than this and now being dropped into this company, receiving weight off some in the field, it makes him a logical value bet.

The gelding finished a close second behind Frodon in the 2019 Ryanair Chase and has also finished a good third in the Grade Two Charlie Hall Chase over three miles at Wetherby.

Having been racing in tough events, his mark has finally started to drop and although second behind Two For Gold last time out, he is now 9lb better off in the weights against him and that should be the difference.

Another classy event which looks a very competitive affair is the Morebattle Handicap Hurdle over two miles and the each way value in this race lies with the Ann Hamilton trained Tommy's Oscar.

Receiving weight from the runners at the top of the market makes him a big player having been ultra consistent in all of his runs this season.

Having been a superb horse in point to points, he made his rules debut in a bumper at Newcastle in November and finished a nice second.

He was sent straight over hurdles next time out at Sedgefield and blew the field away in a Maiden Hurdle over two miles.

The son of Oscar then went back to Newcastle and backed up his previous win with another smart performance in a Novices' Hurdle.

He landed a hat-trick at Musselburgh the time after that winning again by a clear margin and over the same course and distance last time out was a fine second by Bareback Jack who runs in the Grade Two event earlier on in the card.

That run in the Scottish Supreme Novices' Hurdle looks solid form and dropping into this handicap off a nice mark makes him a big player at an each way price.

The final selection on Saturday from us sees us side with Paul Nicholls again, this time with Eritage who we fancy to bounce back to form.

The seven year old has looked a smart type for the yard in these sorts of events this season, having been a fair hurdler last term and handled the step up to fences extremely well.

In October Nicholls sent the gelding to Ludlow for his chase debut and he got off the mark at the first time of asking winning by close to nine lengths on good ground..

He then went to Newbury in a better race and ran a cracker to finish a smart second behind Elusive Belle for Nicky Henderson, who was getting 4lb off of him.

He was pulled up last time out and that was put down to the horse not handling the soft conditions and with getting back to a quicker surface should see the gelding get back to winning ways.