15:30 Kelso

Saturday 1 March 2025

All13:1013:4514:2014:5515:3016:0416:39

bet365 Morebattle Hurdle (Handicap Hurdle) (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:30 | Winning time: 3m 53.91s

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Selected odds by:

Favour And Fortune²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 140| D

6/1

Enjoyed a good first campaign over hurdles, culminating with a win in the Scottish Champion Hurdle (handicap) at Ayr (2m, good to soft) in April. Stepped up on reappearance when fourth of 17 in valuable event at Newbury (2m, soft) 3 weeks ago. Return to likely less testing ground here should suit.

Form: 2261-64

Tellherthename⁹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Kielan Woods| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 137| D

11/2

Useful novice hurdler for Ben Pauling last season. Pitched in at the deep end in Fighting Fifth at Newcastle on reappearance for new yard and ran well in fourth. Very interesting contender in his first handicap.

Form: 21P10-4

Alnilam^h⁵⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Sean Quinlan| T: O Murphy| OR: 133| CD

16/1

Course novice winner last season who has progressed in handicaps this time round, posting a pair of good runner-up efforts before resuming winning ways at Southwell (2m, heavy) on New Year's Day. Still looks fairly treated after a 4 lb rise.

Form: 71-9221

Vischio^h,t²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: D E Mullins| T: E Mullins| OR: 133| D

6/1

Ended her time with Dick Donohoe with a win at Punchestown in November and followed up for new trainer Emmet Mullins in a valuable event at the Dublin Racing Festival last month, shooting clear. Much respected on hat-trick bid for a yard which has tasted success in this before.

Form: 4P2411

Cracking Rhapsody⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Craig Nichol| T: Ewan Whillans| OR: 132| CD

12/1

Won this last year and took his C&D record to 3-4 when seeing off 8 rivals on soft ground in December. Well held in a warm race at Windsor last month but his C&D record affords him respect.

Form: 13-4010

Milldam^h,t⁷⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Ben Jones| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 132| D

40/1

Let down by his jumping when below-par fourth on reappearance but back on the up with a bang when landing a 2m Haydock handicap (heavy) just before Christmas, making it 4 wins in his last 6 starts. A 7 lb rise demands another career best, though.

Form: 1411-41

Aucunrisque²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Freddie Gordon⁽³⁾| T: C Gordon| OR: 132| D

28/1

First win since his 2023 success in this when landing a decent 2m Ascot handicap in November but needs to shrug 2 poor runs since.

Form: 7-33160

Petrol Head²³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: C O'Farrell| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 130

14/1

Back from an absence with a bang last summer, winning handicaps at Downpatrick and Bellewstown for Katy Brown. Off again since but evidently capable when fresh and could have been more to offer for new trainer Neil Mulholland.

Form: 0912/11

Slugger^t⁵⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Paul O'Brien| T: Harry Derham| OR: 130| CD

12/1

Talented but quirky in time with Iain Jardine but has looked much more straightforward for new yard, completing a hat-trick at Musselburgh on New Year's Day. Thriving but another 6 lb higher in a deeper race now.

Form: 44-5111

Gentleman Bill³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: C J Todd| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 127

28/1

Winning pointer who has made a good start to his Rules career, winning 2m hurdles at Bangor (novice) and Doncaster (handicap) before Christmas. Another good run when second back in a novice at Catterick in January. Looks on a stiff mark back in a handicap, though.

Form: 11-3112

Ginger Mail^p¹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Bruce Lynn| T: N W Alexander| OR: 126| CD

50/1

Derailed by a bad mistake 3 out when pulled up over C&D last time but consistent in the main and was second in this race last year off only 2 lb higher.

Form: 20-451P

Florida Dreams^p²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Danny McMenamin| T: N G Richards| OR: 125| D

12/1

Grade 2 bumper winner who doubled his hurdles tally on return at Hexham (2m) in October. Respectable efforts in defeat since without suggesting he has enough in hand to win a strong handicap such as this.

Form: 38-1557

Cormier^p1²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: William Maggs⁽⁵⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 124| CD

40/1

Won this race in 2022 but off for 18 months prior to finishing well held at Wetherby 4 weeks ago. Will need to leave that well behind to play a prominent role in this race again. Wears first-time cheekpieces.

Form: U63U0/0

Here Comes Georgie^p1,t²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Lee Edwards| T: P Neville| OR: 123| D

50/1

Has had a productive season, scoring twice over hurdles and fences. A jump up to Grade 1 level over fences proved a step too far last time but not discounted back in a handicap with first-time cheekpieces added to his tongue tie.

Form: 117116

Wilful⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 122| D

18/5

Progressive winner in bumpers and similar story over hurdles, completing hat-trick in a Worcester novice in August. His winning has ended in handicaps but he did impress with the way he travelled for a long way when fourth over 19f at Ascot last time and it's possible this drop to 2m will suit.

Form: 21-1184

Old Gregorian^t²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Conner McCann⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 121| CD

12/1

Back on track refitted with a tongue strap this autumn, supplementing his C&D success in clear-cut fashion at Wetherby (2m) in November. Another good effort over C&D when second in December and creditable sixth of 12 in Scottish County at Musselburgh since.

Form: P-61126

N'Golo^b,t⁹⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-9| J: Stan Sheppard| T: P Neville| OR: 121| D

100/1

Winner of the 2022 Swinton here and he posted his best run since on the back of a wind op when a fair third of 6 in handicap hurdle at Wetherby (2m, good) in November. Pulled up at Haydock a week later and not seen since.

Form: 10/0-93P

Rock House^p⁵⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 120| D

16/1

Creditable third in handicaps at Huntingdon and Southwell this winter. Won't need to raise his game too much in refitted cheekpieces for a yard always feared in top handicap hurdles.

Form: 3642-33

Forecasts

Wilful (18/5), Tellherthename (11/2), Vischio (6/1), Favour And Fortune (6/1), Cracking Rhapsody (12/1), Old Gregorian (12/1), Slugger (12/1), Florida Dreams (12/1), Petrol Head (14/1), Alnilam (16/1), Rock House (16/1), Gentleman Bill (28/1), Aucunrisque (28/1), Cormier (40/1), Milldam (40/1), Here Comes Georgie (50/1), Ginger Mail (50/1), N'Golo (100/1)

FAVOUR AND FORTUNE plundered a big prize in Scotland last spring and might be able to do so again on the back of a good run in a similarly hot race at Newbury last month. Alan King's strong traveller should prove suited by the return to likely less testing conditions and is preferred to Irish-raider Vischio, whose trainer won this with The Shunter in 2021, and Alnilam. Petrol Head and Tellherthename are other interesting contenders.