Racecards
15:15 Kelso
Ssafa Forces Help Handicap Hurdle (Class 3)
- 11 Runners
- Distance: 2m 2f
- Going: Good, Good to Firm in places
- Surface: Turf
- £8,000 added
- Form 231317
- Age 7
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 113
- Trainer Miss Lucinda V Russell
- Jockey P Buchanan
always towards rear, weakening when blundered 3 out
- Form 210578
- Age 7
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 108
- Trainer G A Charlton
- Jockey Jan Faltejsek
mid-division, ridden and chased leaders 3 out, soon weakened
Overbranch
17- Form 222444
- Age 6
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 108
- Trainer J M Jefferson
- Jockey J Halliday
mid-division, ridden and outpaced from 4 out, behind and pulled up before 2 out
- Form 6FPP11
- Age 7
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 107
- Trainer J Parkinson & S Smith
- Jockey H Oliver
tracked leaders, headway to lead 2 out, driven and kept on flat
- Form 806734
- Age 8
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer S B Clark
- Jockey D C Costello
always towards rear, behind and pulled up before 2 out
Starr Flyer
10- Form 2-6072U
- Age 5
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 104
- Trainer A Bailey
- Jockey W T Kennedy
mid-division, ridden 3 out and no impression
- Form 23/33P6
- Age 7
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 104
led until 6th and stayed prominent until ridden and weakened 2 out
I'm Delilah
25- Form 52-7221
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 103
- Trainer Ferdy Murphy
- Jockey G Lee
towards rear, every chance approaching 2 out, ridden and kept on flat
- Form 600-3FP
- Age 6
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 100
- Trainer M Todhunter
- Jockey B S Hughes
always behind
- Form P05F93
- Age 5
- Weight 10-8
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer M A Barnes
- Jockey M J McAlister
always handy, led 6th until ridden and headed 2 out and soon weakened
Steel Man (IRE)
312- Form 0/PP6-84
- Age 7
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 65
- Trainer B Mactaggart
- Jockey P Kinsella
tracked leaders until weakened quickly approaching 2 out, pulled up before last
Mr Woods
29- Form 5/32-154
- Age 7
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 115
- Trainer Mrs H O Graham
- Jockey G Whillans
Nonrunner
In depth
Verdict
The handicapper may not have caught up with DESCRIPTION and he gets the nod ahead of I'm Delilah and Overbranch. The selection landed a gamble when comfortably accounting for a large field here in February before following up with his head in his chest at Catterick. He's 22lbs higher than for the first of those wins and has faster ground to contend with but we don't envisage either being a problem. I'm Delilah has been a model of consistency for the two yards that she's represented and she wasn't winning out of turn at Catterick. A 3lb rise in the weights is about right but she'd been held from lower marks in handicap company prior to that so will need to have benefited from getting her head in front. Overbranch was behind her at Doncaster in February and has work to do to reverse the placings although she's a likeable mare who should give a good account. Mr Woods has claims now that he's operating at a more realistic level, Prossecco is better than he showed last time and Starr Flyer appears to be heading in the right direction and has come a long way to contest this race but the claims of Description are preferred.
Formwatch
Prosecco (IRE) 3-1fav (10-7) Close up on outside, lost place 4 out, soon weakened, 7th of 9, 33l behind Best Prospect (11-0) at Newcastle 2m hcp hdl 0-135 (3) hvy in Feb.
Castletown Boy (IRE) 11-1 (9-11) Tracked leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, weakened from next, 8th of 9, 25l behind Folk Tune (10-9) at Musselburgh 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gd in Dec.
Overbranch 3-1 (11-4) Led, ridden and headed before last, no extra flat, 4th of 9, 12l behind Zaffarella (10-4) at Hexham 2m cnd hcp hdl 0-110 (4) sft.
Description (IRE) 7-4fav (11-9) Held up in touch, headway 7th, led approaching 2 out, clear approaching last, eased flat, won at Catterick 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gd beating Peters Pride (11-2) by 4 1/2l, 17 ran.
Coconut Beach 14-1 (10-7) Tracked leaders, hit 3 out, ridden next, soon beaten, 4th of 7, 13l behind Gringo (11-4) at Kelso 2m hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft.
Starr Flyer 13-2 (10-9) Mid-division, badly hampered and unseated rider 4 out in race won by Quarl Ego (11-2) at Ludlow 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gd, 11 ran.
Toss The Caber (IRE) 18-1 (10-12) Prominent, one pace when blundered 2 out, 6th of 16, 43l behind Sparkling Montjeu (10-0) at Catterick 2m sll hdl (5) gd.
I'm Delilah 5-6fav (10-12) Held up on inner, headway 3 out, led last, pushed clear, won at Catterick 2m mrs nov hdl (4) gd beating Twilight Dawn (10-9) by 3 1/2l, 12 ran.
Waldo Winchester (IRE) 16-1 (11-7) Always behind, tailed off when pulled up 3 out in race won by Cassius (11-2) at Newcastle 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gd, 18 ran.
Currahee 40-1 (9-11) Chased leaders, led approaching 3 out, headed 2 out, one pace, 3rd of 11, 11l behind Aldiruos (10-6) at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gd.
Steel Man (IRE) 40-1 (10-0) Tracked winner, lost place 3 out, ridden and no impression from next, 4th of 7, 26l behind Cast Iron Casey (11-7) at Kelso 2m nov hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gf in May.
Mr Woods 66-1 (11-6) Led until 6th, beaten from 3 out, 4th of 6, 36l behind Knockara Beau (11-9) at Kelso 2m 2f nov hdl Grd 2 (1) sft in Feb.