Borders trainers Stuart Coltherd and Sandy Thomson among winners at last Kelso Races of 2022

11/2 chance Wheelbahri, an eight-year-old bay gelding ridden for the first time by Ross Chapman, pipped 9/4 favourite Jetoile, trained in Herefordshire by Ryan Potter and with Caoilin Quinn riding, to the post by a length in the 1.03pm Visit Kelso in 2023 Handicap Chase to claim its £7,407 top prize.

They were among only four of the eight runners to complete the two-mile-and-one-furlong race at a meeting billed as a festive fling.

Chapman said afterwards: “He’s really tough to handle that testing ground and cope with the stiff headwind.

“I got the mount as Stuart’s son Sam was riding down at Doncaster and it was a lovely spare to come in for.”

That was Wheelbahri’s sixth win for Selkirk’s Coltherd this year, two of his previous victories having been at Kelso too, in November and March, with the others, all south of the border, at Carlisle in March and Sedgefield and Catterick, both in February.

7/4 second favourite Carcaci Castle won the 2.48pm Subscribe to Racing TV Novices’ Hurdle’s £4,901 top prize for Thomson’s Lambden stables, near Kelso, with his son-in-law Ryan Mania in the saddle.

That was the six-year-old bay gelding’s second win there in the space of four weeks, the previous one, with Jamie Hamilton riding, having been on Sunday, December 4.

Thomson said: “He again showed a tendency to lug to his left but he is a lovely horse to look forward to and a chaser of the future.”

Hawick trainer Donald Whillans had two horses running in that race, Cowboy Cooper finishing fifth and Gie it Laldy sixth, with Craig Nichol and Callum Bewley respectively as jockeys.

Yetholm trainer Sandy Forster’s Pipers Cross, with Thomas Willmott in the saddle, finished fourth.

Another Scottish success was claimed by Perth and Kinross trainer Lucinda Russell’s De Legislator at 6/4 in the 2.13pm SPG Fire and Security Novices’ Hurdle under Derek Fox, beating 2/5 favourite Imperial Merlin by just over two lengths.

“He’s a lovely prospect,” Russell said. “We got both him and our Boxing Day Newcastle winner Snake Roll from the same point-to-point after they finished first and second.”

Forster’s Gypsey’s Secret finished fourth in that race at 125/1, with Stephen Mulqueen riding.

The first race of the day, an amateur jockeys’ handicap chase at 11.53am, was won by 4/1 second favourite Rath An Iuir for Northumbrian trainer Rose Dobbin and jockey Gearoid Harney, with Hawick trainer Ewan Whillans’ Hold the Note, ridden by Alice Stevens, finishing fourth.

Schalke won the next race, the 12.28pm Watch the Replay at Racing TV Handicap Hurdle, offering a top prize of £7,788, for County Durham trainer Rebecca Menzies and rider Conor O’Farrell.

Forster’s Lissen to the Lady, with Joanna Walton riding, finished third in that one, with Nights in Venice fourth for Donald Whillans and jockey Danny McMenamin and Deluxe Range fifth for Thomson and Mania.

The biggest prize of the day, £7,951, went to 11/4 favourite Bill Baxter, trained by Berkshire’s Warren Greatrex and ridden by James Bowen, for winning the 1.38pm Children’s Immunology Trust Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

33/1 shot Maimie’s Magic won the last race of the day, the Every Race Live on Racing TV Mares’ Handicap Hurdle at 3.20pm, for County Antrim trainer Stuart Crawford and jockey Sean Quinlan, beating Millarville, trained near Camptown by Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford and ridden by Edward Austin, by a head.

Coltherd’s Arcandy, with Fox riding, was third in that one.

Kelso’s next meeting is on Sunday, January 15.