Winning double for Borders trainer Sandy Thomson and jockey Ryan Mania on home turf at Kelso

The former, a seven-year-old bay gelding, won the two-mile-five-furlong William Hill Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle by over five lengths at 9/2, picking up the 3.10pm race’s £3,961 top prize.

The latter, a five-year-old bay gelding, finished over four lengths clear after two miles in the 4.55pm Racing Post Go North Jodami Series Final Open National Hunt Flat Race as 15/8 favourite, collecting a top prize of £15,609.

Faithfulflyer’s win was his first since one at the same track in January last year and third in total, his other having been at Musselburgh in November 2022, both also with Mania in the saddle.

Dedicated Hero’s was his second in the space of three months and all together, his prior first-place finish having been with Mania on board at Kelso in February.

Thomson was delighted to see his stables at Lambden, near Kelso, get back to winning ways, saying: “We’ve been quiet as the horses weren’t right towards the end of the season and these are our first winners since early March.

“Faithfulflyer was on a nice mark while Dedicated Hero is a lovely prospect for the future.”

Thomson and Mania also claimed a second place with Tigga Time in the 2.10pm Howden Novices’ Hurdle, the five-year-old chestnut gelding finishing six lengths behind trainer North Yorkshire trainer Patrick Neville’s Magical Hill, ridden by Henry Brooke.

Wednesday’s home-town track meeting was Thomson’s first since finishing the jumps season just ended joint-fourth in the Scottish trainers’ championship and 55th UK-wide with earnings of £228,755 from 164 runs, and he was the region’s only winner there.

Hawick trainer Ewan Whillans was the next-highest-placed Borderer in Great British Racing’s championship, in 62nd place with winnings of £208,958 from 77 runs, and he was also represented at Kelso but had to settle for an eighth place for Kingston Bridge, ridden by Craig Nichol, in the opening 1.40pm Aitken Turnbull Architects Handicap Hurdle.

That two-mile-six-furlong race was won by 7/2 favourite Idem, trained by Lucinda Russell at Kinross and with Patrick Wadge as jockey.

Her six-year-old bay gelding finished a length and a half ahead of Selkirk trainer Stuart Coltherd’s Dream Boy, ridden by his son Sam, with Camptown training partnership Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford and jockey Edward Austin’s Brandy McQueen crossing the line sixth.

Graham and Rutherford fared one place better at 2.10pm with 80/1 outsider Looking Splendid, ridden by Hawick’s Bruce Lynn.

Lynn was runner-up in the 2.40pm Racing TV Handicap Chase on Everyday Cahmpagne for Fife trainer Nick Alexander, losing out to No Regrets, trained by Nicky Richards in Cumbria and with Sean Quinlan in the saddle.

County Wexford jockey JJ Slevin got his first winner at Kelso with 9/2 favourite Lily du Berlais, trained by fellow Irishman Stuart Crawford, in the £50,000 Herring Queen Series Final Mares’ Handicap Hurdle at 3.45pm.

The day’s other races, the 4.20pm Betmax Handicap Chase and 5.25pm Racing Together Open Hunters’ Chase, were won respectively by Guy, trained by Gloucestershire’s Nigel Twiston-Davies and ridden by his son Sam, and Cheshire trainers Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero’s Go on Chez, with Harry Myddelton as jockey.

Kelso’s next meeting is its ladies’ day season finale on Sunday, May 26.

Tickets cost £30 in advance or £35 on the day. For details, go to https://kelso-races.co.uk/