The 2024 Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso

We've had some rain this winter and it looks like there's still more to come but that hasn't stopped the manager of our local Asda piling up disposable barbecues in the entrance to his store. Just looked a tad previous to me.

Anyway, Turftrax describes the going up in the Scottish Borders at Kelso as good to soft with frost sheets to be deployed on all take offs, landings and crossovers. 

Eighteen are set to face the starter in the Morebattle Hurdle (2.50); the winner can claim a £100,000 bonus by collecting the spoils in any race at the Cheltenham Festival - The Shunter completed the double by winning the Paddy Power Plate in 2021.

The well-being of Constitution Hill has been a topic of some discussion this week; stablemate Under Control heads the market here. 

The mare beat stablemate Iberico Lord in the Novices' Championship Final at Sandown in April; that form looks good with Iberico Lord going on to win the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham in November and the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury last month. (Her Cheltenham entries are: the Champion Hurdle; the Mares' Hurdle; and the County Hurdle. Iberico Lord is entered in the County Hurdle).

Under Control appeared anything but when beaten out of sight on seasonal debut in the Gerry Feilden; following wind surgery she split the Willie Mullins trained pair Ashore Diamond and Gala Marceau in the Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle at Doncaster at the end of January. 

She's not the biggest of individuals; the handler has indicated better ground will help her cause.

The current form of the Henderson stable has to be a concern. In the past fortnight six of the yard's 11 runners have pulled up with Kado De Joie the most recent winner on 20th February at Market Rasen.

Black Hawk Eagle was rated 81 on the Flat in Ireland before notching two wins from three runs at right-handed tracks in this country.

Both Skycutter and Salsada appear well handicapped in relation to former Flat ratings.

Skycutter goes off 121 having been rated 98 on the Flat - and Tristan Durrell claims three - while Salsada goes off 126 having been rated 91 on the Flat. 

When last seen the mare Salsada finished fifth in the Scottish Champion Hurdle, just under 10 lengths behind Rubaud, with the likes of Milkwood, Soaring Glory and First Street in arrears. She catches the eye on debut in handicap company.

Bingoo's number went in a few notebooks when winning over two and a half miles at Aintree on Boxing Day; handler Jimmy Moffatt has indicated his charge is best fresh with cut in the ground but also said in a recent 'Straight from the Stable' article [RP Weekender 14-18.02.24]:

"He's versatile tripwise, he's so genuine and he's improving. We're likely to enter him at the Cheltenham Festival [entries in the County and Martin Pipe].

"I'd like to see him carrying a low weight as he's not the biggest. We'll keep his options open but soft ground is a must and we'll be influenced by that."

Top weight Benson won this race last year off 134, making good late headway to snatch the lead from Colonel Mustard after the last; he holds place prospects this year while stablemate Bass Rock, better known as a chaser, races off a mark five pounds below his chase rating and Lewis Dobb claims seven.

Course and distance winner Ballygeary was in with every chance coming to the last in the Scottish County Hurdle at Musselburgh four weeks ago; he eventually finished fifth, beaten under five lengths (Benson one and a half lengths ahead in fourth, Caithness behind in tenth). He sports first-time cheekpieces here and has been supported in the market.

If he had kept to a straight line Anyharminasking would have beaten Nemean Lion in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las in October. Jonjo O'Neill's charge subsequently finished well behind that rival in the Greatwood and steps back in trip here after two runs over two and a half miles.

Cracking Rhaposdy held the tune, just beating the Donald McCain trained Jungle Jack over course and distance 15 days ago, with Ginger Mail, another course and distance winner, two and a quarter lengths adrift in third. Jungle Jack held an entry at the five day stage but connections have declared Ballygeary and Geromino so you'd imagine they know where they stand in relation to Ewan Whillans' charge.

Geromino's lower hurdle mark has been exploited on his last two runs, both at Doncaster; First Edition, Rare Edition, Soaring Glory, Tommy's Oscar and Langer Dan were all behind on his penultimate start but he's now rated 136.

Irish raider Little Mixup doesn't appear too mixed up after his move to Denis Hogan's yard. Winning at Thurles on the second start for new connections, the gelding was raised nine pounds to a career-high mark of 127 - and then the British handicapper added a further five, just for good measure; Mark McDonagh helps the cause by claiming three.

Rewired was rated 78 on the Flat and has been placed in 12 of his 14 hurdle starts to date; this represents a step up in class.

Course and distance winner Caithness finished third behind Impose Toi in a novice handicap at Cheltenham in November- that winner is now rated 134. 

Next time he didn't hurdle too fluently at Kempton and then faded out of contention before the last in the Scottish County Hurdle at Musselburgh, eventually beaten less than 10 lengths. 

This track is likely to suit better; he was six lengths or so adrift of Benson in fourth at Musselburgh but, taking into account jockey allowances, he's entitled to finish much closer to that opponent, a fact that isn't reflected in market prices.

The Churchill Lad looked too keen for his own good when finishing behind Ginger Mail and Cracking Rhapsody over course and distance in January; on balance he has something to find with a few of these while this represents Ganapathi's first run over hurdles in five starts this term.

N'golo makes his first appearance since finishing down the field in the 2022 Greatwood Hurdle won by I Like To Move It.

A hugely competitive affair and three have been under consideration: Ballygeary and Salsada, with Caithness looking overpriced at 33/1.

I've missed the bigger prices about Ballygeary so I'm going to take an interest in Salsada. She could be well treated off 126 in her first handicap; Daryl Jacob provides assistance in the saddle.

Salsada is the each-way suggestion, 12/1 generally with bet365 and William Hill paying six places.

The 2023 Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso

Sixteen have been declared for tomorrow's Morebattle Hurdle (1.50 Kelso); the going is described as good to soft, soft in places. 

The race, named after a village some seven miles south of Kelso, was originally run as a conditions event over two miles two furlongs but was contested as a Class 2 handicap over two miles for the first time in 2021 when The Shunter, trained by Emmet Mullins and sent off 5/2 favourite, came home in front; 12 days later The Shunter went on to win the Paddy Power Plate at the Cheltenham Festival, connections collecting a cool £100,000 bonus in the process.

Once again the £100,000 bonus is on offer to a horse that wins the Morebattle and any race at the Festival and, once again, Emmet Mullins appears to have taken aim with Mctigue, the clear favourite for tomorrow's renewal - Mctigue holds entries in the Boodles, the Coral Cup, the Triumph and the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham.

Emmet Mullins boasts a win strike-rate of 31% with his runners this side of the Irish Sea; seven of the 12 sent off as favourite have obliged. 

Mctigue's stand-out performance this term came winning the Prix Georges de Talhouet-Roy at Auteuil in the autumn - and Mullins' charge can claim the four-year-old allowance in this handicap - but the layers aren't taking any chances and 100/30 about a horse that was subsequently beaten 29 lengths by St Donats (second at Auteuil) and then finished ninth behind Lossiemouth at Leopardstown on Boxing Day (Nusret third) doesn't make much appeal. 

Fellow Irish raider and top weight Colonel Mustard claimed third behind State Man in the County at Cheltenham last year - and holds an entry for this year's renewal.

L'eau Du Sud won the listed Prix Virelan at Auteuil in April before moving to Dan Skelton's yard; his best form to date has been on soft or heavy ground.

Teddy Blue and Tritonic finished third and eighth respectively in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury three weeks ago. 

Although Gary Moore's charge was some 12 lengths behind winner Aucunrisque, that was a commendable effort in a race where the winner broke the track record. The handicapper has dropped Teddy three pounds but that looked a hard race and this may just come a little too soon.

My selection for the Betfair, Deere Mark (pacey - likes to be played late), was withdrawn on the day on account of the ground. Trainer Sam Thomas said this of his charge in a Straight from the Stable article [RP Weekender 09-13.11.22]:

"He is an exciting horses (sic) who is not overly big but what he lacks in size he makes up for in speed.

"A strong gallop over 2m will suit him perfectly. He is among the best work horses I have, although that does not always mean he will be the best on the track, but the way he travels and quickens marks him out as a nice prospect."

Cormier won this last year off a mark of 134 before going to Cheltenham to finish seventh in the County Hurdle. 

He looked booked for fourth in the Greatwood in November but lost a couple of places in the final half furlong or so. He reverts to hurdles here after a couple of tries over the larger obstacles; off a mark just two pounds higher than last year his chance is respected.

Before his move to Sandy Thomson's yard, Benson could, correctly, be described as 'a bit of a character'. 

Sporting a first-time visor in Ascot's Betfair Hurdle (18.12.21), he never went a yard - jock Lee Edwards was pushing for the majority of the two mile trip; the pair came home eighth.

The move north has certainly brought out the best in Benson; he has finished second on three occasions and last time out won the Hair Of The Dog Handicap Hurdle at Musselburgh on New Year's Day. 

In a recent Stable Tour article [RP Weekender 01-05.02.23] the trainer explained that current owners Jimmy Fyffe and Scott Townshend had such a good time after the Morebattle dinner that they bought Benson with a view to having a runner in this year's race. 

Following the latest win at Musselburgh the trainer said:

"He has gone up 6lb for that run to 134, but I would be disappointed if there was not more to come."

Benson holds entries in the Coral Cup and the Martin Pipe.

Collingham won the Scottish County Hurdle at Musselburgh four weeks ago with stablemate Nayati 12 lengths adrift in fifth and Lebowski ninth. 

Previously in the Hogmaneigh Handicap Hurdle at Musselburgh on New Year's Day Nayati beat stablemate Collingham two lengths with Thereisnodoubt third. 

Donald McCain hinted in the Weekender recently that Nayati was inconvenienced by the drying ground that day while Lucinda Russell has said Thereisnodoubt needs two miles and heavy ground.

Lebowski looked good winning at Wetherby in December and was sent off 11/2 joint second favourite for the Scottish County Hurdle in which he led before folding tamely two out; Luca Morgan reported the gelding had run too freely. Connections fit a first-time tongue-tie tomorrow and he goes off 127; he could be well-handicapped and looks overpriced at 40/1.

Lutrell Lad finished down the field in the Swinton at Haydock last April and spent the summer racing on the Flat. He was last seen at Kempton in September and has his first run for Tom Lacey.

Clear White Light has been contesting Class 4 handicaps this season but El Muchacho's second behind First Impression at Catterick three weeks ago is a respectable effort, as is Wajaaha's second behind Little Mixup at Naas on Sunday at odds of 50/1. 

To business then. On the shortlist: Deere Mark, Cormier and Lebowski.

A number in the field like to race prominently - which should suit Deere Mark and Cormier. At the prices, last year's winner Cormier gets the nod.

Cormier is the each-way suggestion, at the time of writing 12/1 with bet365 and William Hill paying five places.

County form lines for Kelso's 2021 Morebattle Hurdle

Following a grim week for racing, Gordon Elliott attended an Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board's referrals hearing today; the trainer has been banned for one year - the final six months suspended - after he was found guilty of bringing the sport into disrepute.

Several small fields tomorrow; in search of some value, I've decided to head north of the border and look at the Morebattle Hurdle (3.15 Kelso). 

The race is named after a village seven miles south of Kelso and, since 1984, has been run as a conditions event. Tomorrow's renewal will be the first in its newly revised guise as a Class 2 handicap - the result is a competitive field of 14 runners. 

The going described as good to soft.

A number of these did battle in the Scottish County Hurdle at Musselburgh last month and several also hold entries in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham; there's a £100,000 bonus if tomorrow's winner can go on to win any race at the Festival.

The last time we saw The Shunter this side of the Irish Sea he won one of the season's most competitive handicaps - the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham - fairly comfortably off a mark of 128. 

Starting seven pounds higher tomorrow, it's no surprise to see he's priced up favourite. Trainer Emmet Mullins has a fine record with his runners in Britain, Cape Gentleman winning the Dovecote at Kempton the most recent example.

The Skelton operation is going great guns at the moment (9 wins from 54 runs in the past fortnight) and Faivoir is given plenty of respect. This one surprised a few, myself included, when beating Minella Drama a neck in the Rossington Main at Haydock in January.

Hunters Call may be 11 years old but he brings decent form to the table including fourth behind The Shunter in the Greatwood  and, most recently, third behind Boreham Bill in the Lanzarote over the extended trip of two miles five at Kempton.

Night Edition was beaten a length by Aramax in the Boodles at the Festival last year but has been out of form in competitive handicaps this term. 

Tommy's Oscar has to enter calculations on the back of a respectable second to Bareback Jack (goes in Premier Novices' Hurdle at 1.30) last time out. 

Paul Nicholls saddles two with Solo well backed during the day. 

Conversely stablemate Christopher Wood has drifted in the betting. 

This one beat Voix Du Reve three and a quarter lengths in the Scottish County Hurdle at Musselburgh last month (Blakeney Point fifth, Newton Boy sixth, Locker Room Talk tenth). 

Previously Blakeney Point pipped Voix Du Reve a neck in the Hogmaneigh Handicap Hurdle at Musselburgh on New Year's Day. Donald McCain's charge isn't without talent but wouldn't be the most consistent of individuals; connections reach for the blinkers for the first time since September 2019 and, with Brian Hughes in the plate, 28/1 looks a big price.

Sky Bet pay five places this race and the 25/1 they offer about Voix Du Reve, part owned by golfer Lee Westwood, has just proved too tempting.  

His fourth in the Fighting Fifth 12 lengths behind Epatante isn't form to take at face value but Iain Jardine's charge has run well this season, although his hurdling hasn't always been as clean as you might have wished for. 

Still, with seven pound claimer Oakley Brown up, he looks weighted to come home ahead of recent conquerors Christopher Wood and Blakeney Point, and on Racing Post ratings the gelding, trained at Carrutherstown, Dumfries & Galloway, is bang there with every chance.

Voix Du Reve is the each-way suggestion.