Wins for Borders racehorse trainers Sandy Thomson and Stuart Coltherd at Kelso

The nine-year-old brown gelding, ridden by Thomson’s son-in-law Ryan Mania, beat 85/40 favourite Geronimo, trained by Cheshire’s Donald McCain and with Brian Hughes in the saddle, by almost three lengths to take the 4.05pm Belhaven Brewery Handicap Chase’s £7,922 top prize at 9/2.

North Yorkshire trainer Patrick Neville’s Fusain was third to complete the two-mile-one-furlong course and Hawick handler Ewan Whillans’ Cracking Destiny was fourth and last, with Kevin Brogan and Craig Nichol riding respectively.

Cedar Hill, a winner at Kelso previously twice in both 2020 and 2021 as well as at Musselburgh in February last year and Perth three months ago, is now being lined up for the Borders track’s next meeting, on Sunday, October 8.

“He has won elsewhere but he loves it round here,” said co-owner Ray Green. “The plan now is to return to Kelso for its next meeting in October.”

Thomson wasn’t the only Borders trainer among yesterday’s winners at Kelso either as Selkirk’s Stuart Coltherd oversaw a first-place finish for Hidden Commander, with Hughes riding, in the 6.25pm Start Your Racing TV Free Trial Now Handicap Chase, securing its £5,281 top prize.

That victory over two miles and five furlongs at 4/1 was the eight-year-old bay gelding’s sixth, three of them at Kelso and the others at Ayr, Newcastle and Sedgefield.

Thomson also claimed a second place with Miss Arabella, ridden by Hughes, in the last race of the day, two-mile RacingTV.com/freetrial Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race at 7pm, crossing the line six lengths behind McCain’s Yougoglencoko, with Abbie McCain in the saddle.

The day’s opening race, the division-one 3.30pm Bentley Edinburgh Handicap Hurdle, was won by Ambassador at 13/2, trained by North Yorkshire’s Micky Hammond and with Joshua Thompson as jockey.

Perth and Kinross trainer Lucinda Russell racked up a win in the 4.40pm Ferguson Planning and Development 10th Anniversary Novices’ Hurdle with 4/5 favourite Idem, ridden by Patrick Wadge.

Hawick jockey Jamie Hamilton rode 11/4 second favourite Darkest Day to a first-placed finish in the day’s second Bentley Edinburgh Handicap Hurdle, a division-two race at 5.15pm, for South Lanarkshire trainer William Young.

The meeting’s other race, the 5.50pm Paul Ferguson’s Jumpers to Follow Handicap Hurdle, offering a top prize of £13,008 was won by Glinger Flame, trained by Cumbria’s Nicky Richards and with Sean Quinlan as jockey, at 9/2.

October 8’s meeting, billed as a family fun day, will consist of seven races starting at 2pm. Advance tickets are £22. For details, go to https://www.kelso-races.co.uk/