Princess Royal to hand out prizes at Kelso race meeting

To mark that anniversary, the Princess Royal will unveil a stone plaque within Kelso’s winners’ enclosure.

The course’s royal visitor will also present a trophy to the winning connections of the Berrymoss Bicentenary Handicap Hurdle Race at 2.15pm and the Kings Own Scottish Borderers Handicap Chase at 2.45pm.

The former, offering a top prize of £4,753, has attracted 21 entries, including Les’s Legacy, winner of the Go North Cab On Target Handicap Hurdle at Kelso’s last meeting in March for Northumbrian trainer Sue Corbett and jockey Dillan Hurst.

Other entries include Kelso trainer Sandy Thomson’s Deluxe Range, Lissen to the Lady for Yetholm’s Sandy Forster and Topkapi Star for Hawick’s Ewan Whillans.

The latter’s 26 entries, vying for a top prize of £3,697, include Lilliesleaf trainer Jackie Stephen’s Any Job Will Do, Castlegrange for Lindean’s Katie Scott, Lastin’ Memories for Forster and To the Limit for Selkirk’s Stuart Coltherd.

The Reg and Betty Tweedie Handicap Chase is named after two-time Grand National runner-up Freddie’s owners, the former being a past chairman of the Kelso course.

Bavington Bob, an eight-year-old brown gelding trained by Northumberland’s Ann Hamilton, is set for another crack at that feature race following a victory in it 12 months ago.

Owner Ian Hamilton, Ann’s husband, said: “We’re hoping for another big run. His last few races at Kelso and Newcastle haven’t been so good, but he was a decent second at Kelso in mid-January.

“He’s back on a handicap mark of 130, the same as when he won last year. They got a bit strung out that day and he won by nine lengths.

“We love having runners at Kelso and we’ve had a lot of great days there. It’s quite a lucky track and we’ve had more winners there than anywhere else in recent years.”

The 11 other entries potentially vying for that 3.25pm race’s top prize of £7,922 include Big River, a 13-year-old bay gelding seeking a record-breaking ninth victory at Kelso for Perth and Kinross trainer Lucinda Russell and Borders owner Debs Thomson.

The sixth race of the seven to be run on the day, the 4.30pm Weatherbys Hamilton Buccleuch Cup Maiden Hunters’ Chase is the race with the longest continuous history at Kelso, having being first staged in the late 19th century after jump racing took over from flat racing.

Former winners include Merryman, victorious at Merseyside’s Grand National in 1960, the first to be televised live by the BBC.

Having won the Buccleuch Cup two years in a row, Northumbrian trainer Jess McKie will be going for a hat-trick with Watch Law, a winner of two point-to-points this season.

The eight-year-old bay gelding is one of eight entries for that race, offering a top prize of £3,593, with Thomson’s Baron Briggs being among the others.

Thomson’s other potential runners include Ninetofive in the opening 1.40pm David Brownlee 50 Years at Kelso Novices’ Hurdle, up against Ewan Whillans’ Diamant Sur Canape, his uncle Donald Whillans’ Bollin Matilda, Scott’s Flash Bulb, Coltherd’s Monklaw and Midnight Fiddler for Camptown trainers Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford.

Coltherd’s also got Silver Vision pencilled in for the 3.55pm Manners le Garcon d’Or Mares’ Handicap Hurdle, potentially up against Ewan Whillans’ Bella Bluesky.

The latter has got Cracking Rhapsody lined up for the concluding 5.05pm 200 Years of Racing Open National Hunt Flat Race, along with Stephen’s Flying Sandpiper and Graham and Rutherford’s Looking Splendid and Nae Bother at A’.

Gates open at 11.30am and the first race is scheduled to get under way at 1.40pm. Admission is £16 in advance and £20 on the day. For details, go to www.kelso-races.co.uk